AFTER a forgettable Philippine Cup stint, Meralco hopes to do better this time as it battles Star at the start of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Bolts were the worst team in the All-Filipino tournament, winning only one game and losing 10. Meralco, as well as Mahindra, exited the tournament early.
Their early dismissal could be a blessing in disguise, as the wards of Head Coach Norman Black got plenty of time to regroup although their reinforcement, Arinze Onuaku, only arrived on Tuesday after their original choice, Malcolm Thomas, got injured while training with the team.
“Meralco has been working hard so that we can get off to a good start this conference,” Black said on the eve of their 7 p.m. encounter with the Hotshots, who are bringing back Denzel Bowles.
“We had a recent setback when our import hurt his right knee and was ruled out to play. Despite the lack of preparation with Arinze we will be out there fighting our game versus Star,” he added.
Onuaku was a prospect of San Miguel Beer last season but did not get his release from his team in time. The former Syracuse standout is coming off a stint with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Turkey.
The 28-year-old forward will be pitted against the tried and tested Bowles, who helped the franchise win the Commissioner’s Cup in 2012. This will be Bowles’s third tour of duty with Star.
Like Meralco, the Hotshots are aiming for a better performance as the team of rookie coach Jason Webb were eliminated by Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the quarterfinal round on LA Tenorio’s buzzer-beater.
Defending champion Talk ’N Text, meanwhile, opens its title-retention bid minus import Ivan Johnson against Blackwater at 4:15 p.m.
Johnson, who was runner-up to Wayne Chism of Rain or Shine in the Best Import derby in the same conference last season, was suspended one game and fined P50,000 for punching Elite’s JP Erram and Frank Golla in an exhibition game.
The Elite, who had a remarkable Philippine Cup run after advancing to their first playoffs, will be reinforced by MJ Rhett, the youngest import in the field at 23.
Blackwater Head Coach Leo Isaac likened the 6-foot-8 forward to Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh. Rhett is also a southpaw and has a solid perimeter game.
Minus Johnson, Head Coach Jong Uichico will pin his hopes on Jayson Castro and the comebacking Ranidel de Ocampo, who missed the majority of the Philippine Cup due to a back injury.