CHICAGO - Following another highly- scrutinized late-game blunder, the serenity around Alec Stockton, has been broken.
So much so that Converge head coach Delta Pineda sheltered his controversial player from the piercing noise.
“Nobody’s perfect. Part of the game, part of the process,” Pineda said on Sunday night after the 6-foot-2 guard threw a costly errant inbounds pass.
READ Pineda stands by under-fire Stockton after another costly error
The mishap, which occurred in the final 34 seconds of action led to a 99-93 loss to Ginebra, which dropped Converge’s record to 1-4.
The concurrent vice governor of Pampanga also shot down rumors swirling around the 21st overall pick of the 2021 PBA Rookie Draft.
“As for a trade, huwag po natin paniwalaan yung mga ganoon,” Pineda told reporters in response to all the social media fodder.
TO ERR IS HUMAN.
In last December’s Season 49 PBA Philippine Cup, Stockton’s late foul on a 3- point shooting Jeremiah Gray cost Converge a first-ever trip to the semifinals.
Back then, the franchise was less than forgiving.
Days after that crushing loss, a deal was put in place to ship the former FEU Tanaraw to Titan Ultra in a one-on-one swap for Joshua Munzon. a source with knowledge of the proposal told me.
When the deal stalled, the FiberXers ceased to actively move the 27-year old from Los Angeles.
And following the trade of Schonny Winston to NLEX last February, Converge has since eased the glut of guards in the roster.
FLIGHT ON HOLD.
Which means Stockton isn’t going anywhere in the foreseeable future.
Keeping the flamboyant two-way asset makes more sense than ditching him out of emotion fueled partly by pressure from a rabid fan base.
Alec, a plucky daredevil with the guts of a bank robber, can be a wild ride that induces ulcers to the coaching staff.
But when he is hitting on all cylinders, the wiry 170-pounder is show-stopper on both ends of the floor.
So buckle up Converge fans, it looks like your head band-wearing Captain Fil-America is here to stay.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
