MANILA – Converge FiberXers head coach Aldin Ayo is finally getting a hand to one of his former college players after the league approved their one-on-one trade with NorthPort Batang Pier.
Based on the trade deal approved by the PBA Commissioner’s Office on Wednesday afternoon, Ayo and the FiberXers acquired Jerrick Balanza from the Batang Pier in exchange for Allyn Bulanadi.
It was a reunion of sorts for Balanza and Ayo after their player-coach partnership in the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights before that produced one NCAA men’s basketball championship.
Ayo was actually trying to acquire Balanza late last year as the FiberXers offered Bulanadi and Tyrus Hill to the Batang Pier in exchange for Balanza and Kevin Ferrer but was rejected by the latter team.
The 26-year-old Balanza is expected to thrive under Ayo after being used sparingly by the Batang Pier in the Commissioner’s Cup where he averaged 5.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.
Balanza was also the second player acquired by the FiberXers the past few days after earlier getting Barkley Ebona from Blackwater Bossing in exchange for Hill, Michael Digregorio and RK Ilagan.
Ayo, however, said that the acquisition of Balanza and Ebona were the last moves by the FiberXers heading into their preparation for the 2022-2023 PBA Governor’s Cup starting next month.
“No more player movements,” Ayo told Panay News on Thursday. “Okay na ang team with the pieces that we got (from the trade) and we are not planning to add more players (from the free agency).”
On the part of the Batang Pier, they acquired the services of the 25-year-old Bulanadi, who was part of the Gilas Pilipinas training pool before signing a contract with the FiberXers.
Bulanadi is expected to get more minutes at the Batang Pier camp after being benched under the first conference of Ayo. The former San Sebastian College Golden Stag only averaged 4.4 points per game./PN
