MANILA – Converge FiberXers have acquired the playing rights for Filipino-Australian gunner Jordan Heading from the Terrafirma Dyip in a two-team, three-player swap on Tuesday.
Based on the approved trade, the Dyip shipped Heading to the FiberXers for Aljun Melecio, Keith Zaldivar, and Converge’s Season 51 first round draft pick.
With the transaction, Heading is now expected to make his PBA debut for the FiberXers in the 2024 PBA Commissioner’s Cup later this month.
“It feels great to be reunited with Jordan,” Converge assistant coach Charles Tiu said in an interview with Tiebreaker Times. “He’s been one of my go-to guys with Strong Group, especially during our campaigns in Dubai and Jones Cup.”
“Having him on the team brings a lot of confidence. He knows what it takes to win and how to make big plays when it matters,” added the College of St. Benilde Blazers mentor.
The 6-foot-2 Heading was the No. 1 overall pick of the Dyip in the 2019 PBA Special Gilas Pilipinas Rookie Draft but did not play a single game for the squad.
Heading instead went overseas with the Taichung Wagor Suns in Taiwan’s T1 League, Nagasaki Velca in Japan B.League, and West Adelaide Bearcats in Australia.
The 28-year-old Heading last played competitive basketball for the Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas team in the 2024 William Jones Cup in Taiwan, where they ended up as the tournament champions.
“After the Jones Cup, I was talking to him about how much I wanted to work with him again,” said Tiu. “Big credit to our management and team governor Archen Cayabyab for making the deal happen.”
“They (the FiberXers management) put in the work to bring Jordan here, and we are thrilled to have him join Converge,” he added./PN
