AND the dream team-up is finally on.
Justin Brownlee will join forces with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson for the first time in Meralco's coming EASL Home and Away Season 3 return bout with the Macau Black Bears this Saturday in Ilagan, Isabela.
The EASL officially made the announcement on Tuesday.
READ Brownlee hopes to still suit up for Meralco in EASL
“Four days from now, the rematch tips off – and this time, the Bolts are recharged by the EASL debut of Justin Brownlee,” the league said in a statement.
Meralco team manager Paolo Trillo later confirmed that Brownlee will be suiting up for the Bolts for the first time this EASL season after missing the team's first four games in the regional league, supposedly because of an illness.
The Bolts gave the 37-year-old Brownlee the time to rest after playing back-to-back games for Gilas Pilipinas against Guam during the opening window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.
But Trillo said the Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player will have a practice or two with the team under coach Nenad Vucinic prior to the Dec. 6 meeting with the returning Black Bears.
Without Brownlee during their first meeting, the Bolts whipped the Black Bears in their Nov. 15 encounter at the Cebu Coliseum, 92-74.
Fellow naturalized Ange Kouame was fielded by Meralco and teamed up with Hollis-Jefferson and import Ismael Romero along with Asian reinforcement Sina Vahedi.
Trillo added Vahedi is also returning to the country this week after playing for Iran in the just concluded window of the World Cup qualifiers.
Meralco currently sports an even 2-2 record for second place in Group B behind leader Taoyuan Pauin Pilots (2-1).
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