PHOENIX is adding more ceiling after signing Yousef Taha, Prince Caperal, and second-round draft pick Dave Ando to contracts on Thursday.
The 6-foot-8 Taha is set to make his return to the PBA after playing for nine seasons in the league, his last stint coming during the 2023-24 season with NLEX.
The 37-year-old last saw action for the Abra Weavers in the MPBL where he played for 11 games and averaged 3.7 points and 5.7 rebounds. His final game with the team was last May 31 against the Quezon Huskers.
READ Ricci Rivero signs new Phoenix deal: 'He's a big part of our plans'
The 6-foot-7 Caperal signed with the Fuelmasters after playing for Blackwater last conference. The former Barangay Ginebra slotman saw action for seven games and averaged 3.7 points for the Bossing.
Ando, standing at 6-foot-7, was selected No. 14 overall after playing for University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP and the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys in the MPBL where he suited up for 14 games and averaged 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 8.5 minutes.
Phoenix coach Willy Wilson said signing the three players is an effort by the Fuelmasters to address their lack of bigs.
Will Gozum, the team's first-round pick at No. 8, has yet to sign with Phoenix due to his commitment with the Quezon Huskers in the MPBL.
“It’s no secret that I wanted to make our line-up taller. I went out and found some taller guys. So far, so good. I was teammates with both of those guys in Prince Caperal and Yousef Taha so I know what they bring.”
“They are not expected to come in and save the team. They are expected to come in and enhance who we are and what we are doing,” said Wilson.
Wilson also expects the three newcomers to help out in the rebounding department, where Phoenix desperately needs improvement.
Phoenix is actually No. 7 with 46.5 per game in average rebounds, even better than TNT (46.3) and Barangay Ginebra (45.6). But the Fuelmasters are only No. 10 among the 12 teams in total rebounds with 1,535, ahead of Blackwater (1,459) and Terrafirma (1,353), the three of which having the same amount of games with 33.
“The big issue for me was the fact that we were getting outrebounded. For me, the easiest way to fix that is to get bigger and get taller. We did that. It’s all about allowing the guys time to learn how to play together and get to know each other on the court, have experience in the roles that we are asking them to do and play,” said Wilson.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
