KINGS, BOLTS EAGER TO COME OUT SMOKIN’

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Barangay Ginebra and Meralco, both out after the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals, take on each other to start their campaigns in the Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Tuesday night.

Both the Kings and the Bolts are confident of a better finish in the mid-season tourney as they bring in top caliber reinforcements in Mike Dunigan and Josh Davis, respectively.

Ginebra shows up not just with a prized import, but with another tweaked coaching roster headed by returning Kings coach Ato Agustin.

And that means the Kings are abandoning the Triangle Offense in favor of their old run-and-gun style of game.

The team management and the coaching staff – now also including new assistant coach Frankie Lim – are optimistic Dunigan will fit in the system.

Dunigan made a good impression as a strong, versatile player in his tour of duty with the Air21 Express in the same tourney two years ago – so much so that Ginebra and Meralco figured in a tug-o-war for his services in this conference.

Unable to get Dunigan’s nod, Meralco coach Norman Black inked Davis whom the former personally scouted during the recent NBA D-League Showcase Cup in Santa Cruz, California.

Davis was the last cut in the San Antonio Spurs roster for the current NBA season with this player likened by scouts to his lookalike and play-alike Kawhi Leonard.

Davis averaged 10.1 rebounds and 7.7 points in one year at San Diego State U after earlier stints with North Carolina State then with Tulane.

After his senior year at San Diego State, he joined Charlotte in the NBA Summer League where he put in 8.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He finished three of seven games with double-double numbers.

He’s tapped in at Meralco primarily because of his reputation as a rebounder and defender – something that the Bolts lacked in their sixth-place finish in the all-Filipino tourney.

“Our import has practiced with the team four days and is starting to fit in with the locals,” said Meralco coach Norman Black.

“We will be undersized again this conference because Davis is only 6-7, but his energy level will have us in there fighting,” Black also said.

Versus Ginebra, Black said their main concern is to defend the paint and get the defensive rebound.

Ginebra and Meralco finished tied with Purefoods at 6-5 during the Philippine Cup prelims. The Kings and the Bolts took the fifth and sixth playoff seedings upon the application of the quotient system of breaking ties.

Both team hurdled their assignments in the first stage of the quarterfinals but failed to make the semis as the Kings bowed to the Talk n Text Tropang Texters, 67-83, while the Bolts were beaten by the Alaska Aces, 69-87, in the second phase of the quarters.

The Kings and the Bolts are motivated to come out strong in the Commissioner’s Cup. (SB)

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