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Tag: Justin Arana

  • Justin Arana earns PBA Player of the Week honors after dominant start to season

    Justin Arana earns PBA Player of the Week honors after dominant start to season

    Justin Arana is proving that he belongs among the PBA’s elite.

     

    The Converge FiberXers star was named the PBA Player of the Week after spearheading his team’s unbeaten 3-0 start with a pair of dominant double-double performances.

     

    Arana delivered back-to-back monster outings, first posting 31 points and 10 rebounds in Converge’s victory over Terrafirma before following it up with an even more spectacular performance against Macau. The 6-foot-7 center exploded for 39 points and 12 rebounds, setting a new Converge franchise record for most points in a game while leading the FiberXers to another convincing win.

     

    His efficient scoring, relentless rebounding, and commanding presence in the paint have been instrumental in the FiberXers’ unbeaten start. If he continues to produce at this level, Arana will not only keep Converge among the league’s top teams but also further solidify his case as one of the leading contenders for the PBA Most Valuable Player award this season. 

     

    Thanks in large part to Arana’s stellar play, the FiberXers remain one of the league’s hottest teams with a perfect 3-0 record, building momentum early in the conference and emerging as one of the teams to watch.

     

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    The challenge, however, only gets tougher from here.

     

    Converge’s next two assignments come against perennial title contenders San Miguel Beermen and TNT Tropang Giga, two squads loaded with championship experience and elite interior defenders. Those matchups will provide the biggest test yet for Arana’s scorching form.

     

    If the newly crowned Player of the Week can continue producing at this level against powerhouses like San Miguel and TNT, it would further establish him as one of the premier local big men in the league and strengthen Converge’s case as a legitimate championship contender erasing the disappointing finish they had last conference.

     

    For now, Arana has all the momentum. Two consecutive 30-point, 10-rebound performances, a new franchise scoring record, and an unbeaten start have made him one of the PBA’s brightest stars to open the season and the FiberXers will be counting on him to keep that dominance rolling.

     

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  • Justin Arana, Mike Phillips included in Gilas’ expanded Asian Games long list, says Tim Cone 

    Justin Arana, Mike Phillips included in Gilas’ expanded Asian Games long list, says Tim Cone 

    For Tim Cone, preparing for the 2026 Asian Games is no longer just about finding the best players available.

     

    It is also about preparing for uncertainty.

     

    Still carrying lessons from Gilas Pilipinas’ dramatic gold medal run in Hangzhou, Cone revealed that the national team is taking a far more cautious approach this time by building a much larger pool of possible candidates for the continental meet.

     

    Among those included in the initial long list is Justin Arana, although Cone quickly clarified that the inclusion should not be interpreted as a guaranteed roster spot.

     

    “We needed a long list for the Asian Games so we put a long list together. It’s a list of about 30 names,” said Cone. “Arana is part of that list obviously.”

     

    Cone explained that the expanded list is mainly a safeguard against eligibility complications similar to the ones Gilas encountered during the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, where the team had to make late adjustments after some players failed to meet eligibility requirements.

     

    Despite the roster chaos at the time, Gilas Pilipinas still completed a memorable gold medal run.

     

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    “This has nothing to do with the windows at this point. This is just strictly for the Asian Games,” Cone clarified, emphasizing that the long list is separate from the core pool being considered for upcoming FIBA competitions.

     

    Cone also confirmed that Mike Phillips — recently classified by FIBA as a local player — is part of the same extended pool.

     

    Rather than locking in combinations early, Cone said the coaching staff wants flexibility this far ahead of the tournament.

     

    “We don’t know the eligibility rules that are going to happen. Last (Asian Games), we had a long list put together and there were players out there that didn’t get eligible,” said the veteran coach.

    “Last Asian Games, we scrambled for players at the very end because the list wasn’t a representative of what the eligibility rules were. So we made a long list [this time] hoping that these guys will be eligible and we will have a bigger pool to pick from.”

     

    For Cone, the expanded list is less about final decisions and more about avoiding the same last-minute problems that once forced Gilas to improvise on the fly before eventually striking gold.

     

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  • Converge’s Justin Arana named PBA Player of the Week for the period of April 21 to 26

    Converge’s Justin Arana named PBA Player of the Week for the period of April 21 to 26

    The Converge FiberXers continue to battle inconsistency in the ongoing 2026 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup, sitting in ninth place with a 4–6 record after ten games. While their position on the standings remains precarious, the team is still mathematically alive in the race for a playoff berth, keeping their campaign from slipping into full collapse.

     

    A major reason for Converge’s continued postseason hopes has been the emergence of Justin Arana, whose recent surge has helped stabilize the FiberXers at a critical stretch of the conference. The 27-year-old center has stepped into a leadership role on both ends of the floor, providing interior scoring, rebounding, and defensive presence when the team needed it most.

     

    That impact was on full display as Converge secured back-to-back victories over the TNT Tropang Giga and the Phoenix Fuel Masters. Against TNT, Arana delivered a strong all-around performance with 21 points and 10 rebounds in a hard-fought 97–92 win, where he also drew praise for his physical battle against 7-foot-3 import Bol Bol.

     

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    He followed that up with another composed outing against Phoenix, tallying 13 points, nine rebounds, and five assists as Converge dominated in a 130–103 victory. His consistency across both games proved pivotal in snapping the FiberXers out of their uneven form and injecting renewed confidence into their playoff push.

    Over the two-game stretch, Arana averaged 17.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, numbers that underscored his growing influence within the squad. His standout performances did not go unnoticed, as he was named the PBA Player of the Week for the period of April 21 to 26.

     

    Arana edged out strong competition from Troy Rosario of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Gian Mamuyac of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters for the weekly recognition, which is determined by members of the sports media covering the league across various platforms.

     

    Speaking after his strong showing, Arana emphasized both urgency and mentality as Converge continues to fight for survival in the standings.

     

    “Tinatagan ko na lang sarili ko, kasi para sa amin do-or-die. Hindi ako puwedeng matakot kay Bol, kasi super kailangan namin itong laro na ‘to,” Arana said in a media interaction.

     

    As the Commissioner’s Cup enters its final stretch, Converge now faces a defining moment in their season. The FiberXers are set for a crucial matchup against the NLEX Road Warriors on Saturday, May 2, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, a game widely viewed as a must-win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

     

    With momentum slowly building and Arana hitting form at the right time, Converge will be hoping their star big man can once again anchor a late-season push as they attempt to claw their way into postseason contention.

     

     

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