SO Magnolia failed to come far with James Farr in tow.
The skidding Hotshots decided to part ways with their former import and will now bring Rakeem Christmas for their final elimination round assignment in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup against TnT Katropa.
The 27-year-old Christmas, a second round pick of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2015 NBA draft, gets his baptism of fire against the Katropa and fellow NBA player Terrence Jones on Wednesday in the 7 p.m. main game of a doubleheader at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Although picked by the Timberwolves (36th overall), Christmas would suit up with the Indiana Pacers for two seasons.
A product of Syracuse, Christmas had San Miguel Beer import Chris McCullough for teammate under coach Jim Boeheim during the 2014-15 U.S. NCAA season.
The Hotshots’ tapped the services of Christmas after the team lost their last three outings.
The skid had Magnolia tumbling to fifth to sixth places in a tie with San Miguel at 5-5.
Things looked rosy for the team earlier when it strung up five straight wins with Farr around to reach as high as third place in the standings with a 5-2 record.
Then the losses piled up, capped by a 102-81 loss to rival Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
Depending on the outcome of their game against TnT and San Miguel’s match opposite Meralco, the Hotshots could end up facing the Kings in a best-of-three quarterfinals series or finish as the seventh seeded team and carry a twice-to-beat disadvantage in the playoffs.
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.
