DESPERATE times call for desperate measures.
The Bay Area Dragons reactivated Myles Powell in a bid to salvage their championship aspirations in the PBA Commissioner's Cup finals against Barangay Ginebra.
Myles Powell reactivated
Powell takes over the slot of still injured import Andrew Nicholson.
The move to return Powell came as a huge surprise as coach Brian Goorjian earlier already ruled out the 6-foot-2 import from playing in the finals as he has yet fully recovered from a severe foot injury he suffered in practice prior to the playoffs.
But a last-minute change in plans is also understandable.
The Dragons are fighting on for dear life as they trail the Kings in the series, 3-2, after a 101-91 loss in Game 5 that saw the guest team from Hong Kong played without Nicholson for the second straight time.
“We lose, we are out. It’s to that point,” said Goorjian.
By activating Powell, it meant the end of the road for Nicholson, who suffered a severe ankle sprain late in Game 3 after stepping on the foot of Jamie Malonzo during a rebound play.
Under PBA rules, replacement import couldn’t be tapped back if the original reinforcement went down with another injury.
Powell is unbeaten in the eight games he played as Bay Area import in the eliminations.
Question on Powell’s fitness lingers though, as Goorjian previously admitted the former NBA player is ‘not ready to go’ and ‘needs practice.’
It could also a ploy on the part of the Dragons as they once caught Barangay Ginebra flat-footed when they opted to sit Nicholson in Game 4 and pulled off a stunning 94-86 win.
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