MERALCO is scrambling to have a new import with two weeks to go before the PBA Season 48 officially kicks off.
The Bolts have tapped Nigerian-American Suleiman Braimoh for the season-opening Commissioner’s Cup after original choice Feron Hunt failed to live up to expectations during the team’s campaign in the Doha International Basketball Championship last month.
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“He (Braimoh) is working on his visa. Should be arriving late this week,” said coach Luigi Trillo, quoting team manager Paolo Trillo with regards to the situation of Braihmoh.
As it is, the Bolts are going to play without an import against Rain or Shine Thursday in a special tune-up game in Bacolod City in time for the annual ‘Masskara Festival.’
But Trillo said the team won’t just be having import issue heading to the 6 p.m. match at the St. La Salle Univeristy Coliseum.
At least six players won’t be suiting up, too, due to injuries.
The Meralco coach mentioned Bong Quinto (foot), Allein Maliksi (knee), Raymond Almazan (back), Anjo Caram (broken thumb), and Cliff Hodge (dengue) as among those with health issues.
Main man Chris Newsome is also not with the team yet as the Fil-Am guard remains on vacation after playing for Gilas Pilipinas in the recent 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where the Philippines ended a 61-year-old gold medal drought in men’s basketball.
But the exhibition game could finally see Meralco rookie Brandon Bates in action. The former La Salle player just signed a two-year contract with the Bolts after missing out the team's campaign in Qatar.
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