MERALCO is set to face stiff competition right off the bat in the Fiba Asia Champions Cup after being bracketed in Group B of the September 27 to October 2 tournament in Nonthaburi, Thailand.
The Bolts were grouped with reigning champion Al Riyadi of Lebanon, Alvark Tokyo of Japan, and Mono Vampire Basketball Club of Thailand, following the draw ceremony on Friday.
All teams though have sterling records entering the tournament.
One of the storied club teams in Asia, Al Riyadi is a two-time Fiba Asia Champions Cup winner. It won the 2017 edition in Chenzhou by beating China Kashgar in the final and has won 14 titles in its domestic league.
Alvark Tokyo, meanwhile, is fresh from a title win in Japan’s B.League, beating the Chiba Jets in the one-game final.
Competing in the Fiba Asia Champions Cup for the second time in a row, Mono Vampire was the runner-up in the 2017-2018 ABL season, losing to San Miguel Alab Pilipinas in the best-of-five title showdown.
The Bolts will field the same lineup in the Governors’ Cup including import Allen Durham. Meralco though is still in search of another import as teams can field two reinforcements for the tournament.
Pauian Archiland of Taiwan, Liaoning Flying Leopards of China, SK Knights of Korea, and Petrochimi of Iran composed Group A of the competition.
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