ALASKA’S trip to the US as incentive for winning the PBA Commissioner’s Cup championship will both serve as leisure and work.
Coach Luigi Trillo said that aside from enjoying the vacation and trip to Disneyland with the entire Aces team by the middle of July, he also plans to meet up with their incoming Governors Cup import Wendell McKines and have him work out with the team for about a week.
“It’s good to lock down our import and sign him up for the third conference this early,” Trillo told Spin.ph.
“From there (LA), we’ll probably join a camp and then meet him (McKines) there, and work him out for a week with several guys from the team,” he added.
The Aces capped their dominant run in the mid-season tournament with a three-game sweep of Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Finals, including the title-clinching 104-80 win in Game Three on Sunday night.
Trillo said he’s excited to have McKines in the team, whom he describes as “built like a tank” and plays with a lot of energy in the mold of rookie Calvin Abueva and Gabby Espinas.
“Wendell is more of a back-to-the-basket type of player. He’s explosive and an impact player who is just coming from a stint in France,” explained Trillo.
The 24-year-old McKines played college basketball for New Mexico State. He recently played for Rouen in the French League where he averaged 17.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 assist in 34 games.
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