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Despite
the addition of San Beda star Sam Ekwe on its lineup,
winning the Seaba Club championship for the second
straight year is not a sure thing for Harbour
Centre-Philippine team.
For one,
host
Indonesia
is reportedly getting two tough imports in its burning
desire to get back at the Harbour-RP team when the
import-laden annual tournament begins on April 3 in
Jakarta.
Though
reinforced by imports Julius Nwosu and Vidal Massiah,
and several other Philippine Basketball League (PBL)
stars, Harbour-RP still experienced some scary moments
before turning back the determined challenge by the
Indonesians in the one-game title showdown watched by
hundreds of Filipino migrants.
Without
Nwosu and Massiah to call and defend against Indonesia’s
imports this time, the task ahead looks extremely
difficult for Harbour-RP team.
With
little time to prepare and to contact top-caliber
players from the US and Europe, Harbour Centre owner
Mikee Romero and his trusted lieutenant Erick Arejola
decided to stick with their PBL lineup with Ekwe for the
tournament, where Malaysia and Thailand will see action.
The team
is on a roll, winning the last four tournaments in the
country’s premier amateur league. But the coming
tournament will be a different story.
Though
Romero and Arejola have high respect for their own
players, they both remain wary of their title-retention
bid, since they don’t have any idea who will Indonesia’s
imports be. Thailand and Malaysia are not expected to
play with imports.
“Right
now, we’re facing a blank wall,” said Romero. “Just like
last year, we have to play passionately to overcome the
odds and keep our dominance in the region.”
“It’s
not easy to play against a team with two imports. Last
year we also had two imports, but we still struggled to
win the title,” Romero, who turned 37 on Good Friday,
added.
According to Arejola, Ekwe, the tallest in the team at
six-foot-seven, has been practicing with the Harbour-RP
team since Monday, but coach Jorge Gallent is still
looking for a big man.
“If we
can get another big man, then I can say that we are
ready to defend our title,” said Gallent, who took over
the coaching rein from Junel Baculi. “What will happen
to us if Sam gets into foul trouble early.”
Jason
Castro, TY Tang, Beau Belga, Chad Alonzo, Jonathan
Fernandez and Solomon Mercado are all cinch to make the
team. The final composition of the team will be
announced this week.
Unlike
last year, Harbour-RP team can’t afford to drop a game
because the Seaba is going to be a short tournament,
with the No. 1 team after the eliminations winning the
title.
Harbour
Centre lost to
Indonesia
in the eliminations but got back at the host in the
finals, where Fernandez and now pro Ryan Araña struck
heavily from beyond the three-point arc. |
