FOCUS ON IMPORTS
Commish Cup starts today
The PBA Season 42 resumes wi th the opening of the Commissioner’s Cup, featuring defending champion Rain or Shine versus NLEX in the mainer of a twinbill at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.
The Meralco Bolts and the Mahindra Floodbuster mix it up at 4:15 p.m. then the Elasto Painters and the Road Warriors slug it out at 7 p.m. in this doubleheader showcasing the return of veteran imports James White, Shawn Taggart and Wayne Chism and the debut of newcomer Alex Stepheson.
Meanwhile, Alaska Milk and TNT KaTropa are replacing imports even before playing their first game in the mid-season tourney.
Octavius Ellis rushed home to attend to personal matters while Bowles, a former Best Import awardee and champion import, got an early dismissal from TNT KaTropa.
“He’s not in shape. He can’t run,” said TNT team manager Virgil Villavicencio of Bowles who practiced with the Texters for a week and a half.
“We have two prospects. Both are ready to fly in anytime. We expect our import to come before our opening game on the 24th. We’re just finalizing the terms,” Villavicencio also said.
Meralco, Mahindra, NLEX and Rain or Shine are teams satisfied with the forms of their respective imports.
“He’s a 6’9 big man who is an inside player. He scores mostly around the basket and is a very good rebounder on the offensive and defensive boards. He’s also a good shot blocker,” said Meralco coach Norman Black of Stepheson who had brief NBA stints with the LA Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies.
“James has brought back a high level of esteem and pride in our team that we lacked last conference,” said Mahindra coach Chris Gavina of White.
“James along with his teammates have been diligently hard at work at getting themselves physically prepared, honing their skills, and building our chemistry every single day,” Gavina added. “Our main focus going into the conference is the lack of defensive efficiency and discipline that we displayed last conference.”
NLEX coach Yeng Guiao is flying from Hong Kong in time for their first game against his former team Rain or Shine.
But he’s not keen on how the game is being hyped – the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup champion team versus the champion coach.
“It’s not relevant, it’s not important. It’s not about the defending champion coach. It’s about the defending champion team,” said Guiao.
Whatever it is, the Elasto Painters and their former coach meet for the second time since they parted ways after the 2015-16 PBA season.
Both are hoping to improve on their poor showing in the recent PBA Philippine Cup ruled by the San Miguel Beermen.
The E-Painters hoped they can fare much better in this tourney with everyone back in top form. Raymond Almazan is back in harness after missing their closing games in the all-Filipino tourney.
The Road Warriors finished dead last in the Philippine Cup with just two wins against nine losses while the Elasto Painters wound up eighth, eliminated in the quarterfinals by the eventual champs.
Ellis’ replacement is former Brooklyn Net and Phoenix Sun Cory Jefferson who was to fly in last night.