Bolts want graceful EASL exit

Meralco aims to cap its East Asia Super League campaign on a winning note as it tangles with the Seoul SK Knights Wednesday night for its final game in the Home and Away Season.

The Bolts arrived in the Korean capital a day before their match against the home team at the Jamsil Student’s Gymnasium.

Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

The Bolts (1-4) are already out of the running for a semifinals berth, but coach Luigi Trillo said they will use the game to give their bench players playing minutes as part of their preparation for the coming Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup on 28 February.

Shonn Miller will reinforce Meralco and will partner with 6-foot-9 Alioune Tew, the Paris-born center and product of Niagara University. The duo takes over the place of Zach Lofton and Prince Ibeh. “We’ll give our rookies and bench players a chance to play,” Trillo said. The Bolts last played two weeks ago when they were booted out by the Phoenix Fuel Masters in their do-or-die encounter for the last semis berth in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

The Knights (3-2) meanwhile, are already assured of the last semifinals berth in Group B following their 89-57 rout of Jeremy Lin and the New Taipei Kings at home last week.

Three-time Korean Basketball League Best Import Jameel Warney will once again anchor the Knights, who are Cebu-bound together with the New Taipei Kings, Chiba Jets, and Anyang Jung Kwan Jang for the EASL Final Four set 8 to 10 March at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City.

Meanwhile over at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium, also-ran Taipei Fubon Braves (1-4) host Anyang Red Boosters (3-2) in the other game of the EASL doubleheader that on the final day of the four-month eliminations.