JEFF Cariaso will have his former Alaska coaching staff intact as he calls the shots for new PBA team Converge Fiber Xers in the league’s 47th season.
Jeff Cariaso on Converge staff
The former PBA player has brought along deputies Joe Silva, Danny Ildefonso, Franco Atienza, and Raymond Gavieres with him at Converge, which formally introduced the team on Tuesday through billionaire owner Dennis Anthony Uy.
“We are intact,” said Cariaso, who was joined by Atienza and Gavieres during the launching at the EDSA Shangrila.
And one more personnel could join the Converge team in the next season, according to Cariaso.
“We’re looking to add one, but we don’t know who it is. I am working hard now to talk to possible coaches. So I don’t want to reveal kung sino muna yun. But I will let you know as soon as possible,” he said.
Silva wasn’t around along with Danny lldefonso, who is currently with the National University bubble in the UAAP.
“His commitment at NU is taking priority now, and I think there’s a new rule within the UAAP so they can’t go around public places, something like that. We’re respective that, but coach Danny is still part of the coaching staff.
Cariaso likewise doesn’t want to reveal yet the initial length of his first season with Converge, saying he’s still talking to management about a deal.
But he expects negotiations to be over soon with just some minor kinks still being put in order.
Cariaso and his coaching staff led Alaska to the quarterfinals of the Governors’ Cup in its final PBA conference, forcing no. 2 seed NLEX to a do-or-die encounter before losing steam and failing to advance to the semis.
“What we want now is stability and that we can expect from the coaching staff that we retained,” said team governor Chito Salud. “This team performed decently the last conference and we expect that at the very least.”