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    Injured Raymond Almazan gets three-year max deal with Meralco

    Almazan signed to a fresh three-year maximum deal by Bolts
    Jan 22, 2020
    PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

    DESPITE failing to finish the PBA Governors Cup finals for Meralco, Raymond Almazan is poised to have a fresh start with the Bolts.

    The franchise locked the lanky big man to a new three-year maximum contract following a short but stellar season with the Bolts.

    The 30-year-old Almazan played a huge part in Meralco's return trip to the season-ending finals after being acquired by the team in a mid-season trade with Rain or Shine for two future first-round picks.

    Unfortunately, he went down with a meniscal tear in his left knee in Game Three of the title series against Barangay Ginebra in what many believed was the beginning of the end for the Bolts.

    “We lost our big man in the first quarter of the third game, and we never seemed to be the same team again,” said Norman Black following Meralco’s third finals loss to Ginebra in the last four seasons.

    Until the inury, the former NCAA MVP from Letran averaged 17.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 1.5 block shots in the first two games of the title series, holding his own inside the paint against Kings counterpart Japeth Aguilar, who was later adjudged as the PBA Press Corps-Honda finals MVP.

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    Prior to the finals, Almazan averaged 14.5 points, 12.09 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game as he Meralco finally filled the gaping hole at center.

    He is set to undergo surgery and expects to be out of basketball-related activities for the next six weeks, which could mean he’ll likely miss the early part of the season-opening Philippine Cup that starts on March 1.

    Gunner Allein Maliksi and Bong Quinto are also set to sit down with Bolts management for talks on a fresh deal, but are expected to remain with the team for the league’s 45th season.

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      PHOTO: Jerome Ascano
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