Bolts look to turn spark into surge

Games Today (Smart Araneta) 4:30 p.m. – Meralco vs GlobalPort 7 p.m. – Alaska vs Rain or Shine

The Meralco Bolts shoot for a second straight victory and sustain their impressive start in the PBA Commisioner’s Cup when they take on the GlobalPort Batang Pier today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Bolts coach Norman Black urged his players to sustain their energy in the 4:30 p.m. encounter with the Batang Pier after starting the midseason conference on a high note two days ago with a 116103 win over the Columbian Dyip.

“After what happened in the Philippine Cup, it’s nice to win our first game this conference,” said Black. “Well, hopefully we can sustain the energy and the effort we had in our first game.”

The Meralco-GlobalPort contest comes before the 7 p.m. match between Rain or Shine and Alaska, both teams parading new imports.

Rain or Shine will parade Reggie Johnson, a 6-foot-10 center who two years ago helped the Westports Malaysia Dragons win the ASEAN Basketball League crown, whille Alaska will lean on 6-foot-9 Antonio Campbell, a 23-yearold former standout of Ohio University.

Focus, however, is on Meralco, particularly former Best Import import winner Arinze Onuaku, who collected 30 points, 19 rebounds, six assists, three steals and four blocks in his first game back in the PBA after his initial stint with the Bolts in 2016.

The 6-foot-10 Onuaku outplayed his Columbian Dyip counterpart Charles Aiken, who finished with 21 points and 18 rebounds, despite being hospitalized three days before their first game due to a bum stomach.

“He gave us that presence in the middle, something we lacked in the allFilipino conference,” said Black of his import who helped the team make the semifinals of the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.

“I was happy with Arinze’s performance, and we expect him to continue to play well against GlobalPort,” added Black.

GlobalPort mentor Pido Jarencio, meantime, will rely on the team’s own import Malcolm White, who debuted with 27 points and 12 rebounds in a 128114 loss to TNT KaTropa last Sunday.

Locals Stanley Pringle and Sean Anthony hope to make up for the absence of new recruit Mo Tautuaa after he was handed a one-game suspension and a 135,000 fine by PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial for kicking TNT import Jeremy Tyler in Sunday’s game.

Tautuaa was ejected for a Flagrant Foul 2 for kicking Tyler, who had converted a dunk during the fourth quarter of that match.

Meanwhile, the league deferred from slapping TNT guard Terrence Romeo a fine over postgame comments directed at the officials after failing to appear in the PBA Commissioner’s Office yesterday due to a personal issue. Romeo is scheduled to make an appearance today, according to Marcial.

Also fined by 15,000 each by Marcial for committing Flagrant 1 fouls were White and Joseph Gabayni.