TITAN Ultra Giant Risers import Michael Gilmore was impressive in his first practice, but management of the new PBA team has one small concern.
He may be an inch or two shorter than his declared 6-10 height.
Arriving late Wednesday night from the US, the former Virginia Commonwealth University Rams power forward immediately joined the Giant Risers’ practice at the Victoria Sports Gym in Quezon City.
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And Titan Ultra head coach Rensy Bajar said he likes what he saw.
“Okay siya, fit siya sa amin. Very athletic and agile. Ensayado agad sa amin. Saka sa ngayon okay ang attitude. Nakuha n'ya agad 'yung system namin,” said Bajar. “Nakuha nya agad yung gusto naming ipagawa.
"He is a two-way player. Can score and can defend very well,” he added.
Bajar told SPIN.ph that Gilmore was supposed to be in the country as early as last week but had to delay his flight because of ticketing problems, making him unavailable for Titan Ultra’s first two tune-up games versus Converge and Blackwater.
“Sayang nga. Kaso it was beyond our control. But like I said, I like what I saw,” said Bjar.
The soft-spoken former Shell Turbochargers and Alaska Aces guard bared that they can finally assess the upsides of Gilmore when they face the NLEX Road Warriors in their last tune-up on Saturday at the UP Upsilon Gym in Quezon City.
“Dun naming siya talaga ma-a-asssess and how he can further complement our team,” he said.
Bajar bared that Titan Ultra is being courted by Converge for another tune-up on March 9, but he already turned it down because their Commissioner’s Cup debut will be on March 11 at the Ninoy Aquino Gym.
“Wala, di na kami pwede mag tune-up noon. Sayang nga. Kaso very close na sa opening game namin. We’ll just double up sa ensayo namin so we can better insert Gilmore sa system,” said Bajar.
Bajar bared Gilmore is ‘probably an inch or two shorter than his advertised 6-10 height’.
“Tingin ko walang 6-10 to kasi di ba sa abroad, nakasapatos sinusukat? Sa PBA kasi naka-yapak sila at nakahiga na sinusukat. Those inches are crucial especially that our team lacks height,” said Ripalda.
The team official, however, is hopeful that they can secure the green light for Greg Slaughter’s return, which could make up for Gilmore's lack of ceiling.
“Alam ko okay na ang higher management namin at si Greg regarding our deal so if makalaro si Greg, then we have Gilmore as a fleet-footed power forward, maganda ang chance ng team,” he said.
“Nahirapan kasi kami maghanap ng 7-footer na import kasi usually may mga contracts and commitments na somewhere else. Si Sam Deguara nga isa sa mga kino-consider namin kaso parang November pa lang daw, naka-commit na sa Macau,” he said.
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