CHICAGO -- At first glance, signing a 41-year old player with 17 seasons worth of PBA mileage on his knees seems a little questionable.
But looks can be deceiving.
Apparently, Alex Cabagnot still got game. Lots of it.
"He looked really good today. You couldn't tell his age. Very fundamentally sound," Converge assistant coach Charles Tiu said of the Fil-Am from California who scrimmaged with the FiberXers at the Gatorade Hoops Center.
It's unclear if he will start but the 6-foot, 180-pound point guard will have a fair shot.
"We know he can help the team," Tiu asserts.
Not only does Cabagnot possess the pedigree of a 9-time champion, he is a proven leader, an 8-time All-Star and a Finals MVP as recently as seven years ago.
Originally drafted by the now-defunct Santa Lucia Realtors in 2005, Cabagnot appeared in 700 PBA games where he averaged 12.1 points, 5 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
Converge is betting that the former Beerman can improve the output of a FiberXers team that averaged only 95.7 points per last conference while shooting only 42.6 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from 3.
His connection with Converge active consultant Rajko Toromoan is an added bonus. That familiarity will help the FiberXers acquire some stability as it emerges from the debris of a 2-9 finish in the Philippine Cup.
JARED BROWN IS A NO-GO FOR TNT
After a few days worth of practices, TNT has chosen not to sign Jared Brown, the former Ateneo combo guard whom they picked at No. 7 in the third round of last month's PBA Rookie Draft.
No word if a reported nasal injury factored in the decision but Brown's agent , DeShawn Harris, insisted that the injury was "minor."
According to sources, Brown's injury "wouldn't require more than 2-3 weeks of recovery and that he can still play basketball after 4 days."
But with the Governor's Cup set to begin on August 18 maybe the Tropa didn't want to wait as team practices at theMoro gym continue.
Brown is now free to sign with any team. "I thank TNT for the opportunity," Harris said.
Brown played for the Blue Eagles in Season 86 of the UAAP. where he had 11 starts and multiple 20-plus games. With one year of eligibility left, he opted to turn pro.
Many believe that his skills, especially the 3-point shooting and play-making,would translate well in the pro ranks.
For some urgent reason, Jared didn't participate in the Draft Combine which would have allowed other teams to have a good look at him in the event that he becomes available through free agency.
He's in a limbo right now but he's good enough of a player to not find a home. This is just a ben in the road, not the end of the road for Jared Brown.
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