MERALCO left for Okinawa, Japan on Monday morning to compete in the EASL, going against Ryukyu Golden Kings for its first game.
Not on the flight, however was one of its best players, the talented Justin Brownlee.
The Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player and Barangay Ginebra resident import hasn’t joined the Bolts in practice in their preparation for the EASL, with only imports Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Ismael Romero flying to Manila to be with the team.
READ In-form Meralco Bolts cap hectic stretch with EASL game at Ryukyu
Romero was spotted on the bench of Meralco during its PBA game against Blackwater last Wednesday. Meanwhile, Hollis-Jefferson, who is officially TNT’s import in the PBA, was spotted in the hallway of the Smart-Araneta Coliseum last Wednesday to check on the Bolts and to watch the Tropang 5G’s match-up against Barangay Ginebra.
PBA sources say the multi-titled Ginebra import was supposed to arrive 'two or three days ago.'
Curiously, the EASL website did not mention Brownlee in their preview of the game against the Golden Kings. But Brownlee’s name is in Meralco’s team page of the website, and will wear jersey No. 15 for the tournament.
Sources said Meralco hasn’t gotten word on when Brownlee will join the team, but is not counting out the possibility that he might directly fly to Japan to be with the squad.
But it remains to be seen if Brownlee will show up for Meralco's first game on Wednesday. - Reuben Terrado
The Magician's no-show raises concern
BILLIARDS great Efren "Bata" Reyes allayed health concerns when he showed up at the Reyes Cup on the final day of the competition.
He had a face mask on and did not say why he was not around for the first two days of the competition which he organized to develop and discover young talent to continue the country's stellar reputation in the sport.
"The Magician" later personally awarded the Cuetec MVP honors to 18-year-old AJ Manas.
But many were worried when the 71-year-old cue master failed to show up for the press conference last Wednesday and the first day of the competitions on Thursday.
His kumpare and Team Asia captain Francisco "Django" Bustamante, though, quelled those fears and assured that though Reyes was under the weather, he will be on hand for the second staging of the event.
Indeed, Reyes showed up on Friday, albeit wearing a facemask, and mingled with the crowd and even raffled off a personalized cue stick.
No doubt, everybody still loves Bata.
First import change of the PVL season
THE first import change of the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference could take place in a matter of days, pending the completion of all documentary requirements.
SPIN.ph has learned that one of the last remaining winless teams will field a new reinforcement in a bid to get its campaign back on track.
The replacement import as per a source is 25-year-old Slovakian winger Katrin Trebichavská.
She last suited up for the State University of New York Buffalo Bills in the US NCAA Division I Mid-American Conference from 2022 to 2025.
As of writing, Trebichavská is reportedly on her way to the Philippines.
Upon confirming with PVL control committee chairman Sherwin Malonzo, there is no limit to how many times a team can switch imports mid-conference.
But such changes can only be made if one of two conditions are met.
“The two allowed reasons [for import changes] are either medical reasons or abandonment or breach of contract,” Malonzo said.
“The replaced foreign guest player cannot play for a different team,” the source said.
It will then be the team’s responsibility to secure the international transfer certificate (ITC) of its new import and have it cleared by both the league and the national federation. - John Mark Garcia
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.
