KIA LOOKS FORWARD TO WINNING WITH 7-3 RAMOS
Seven-foot-three import Peter John Ramos provides the Kia Sorento the ceiling that they need, and playing coach Manny Pacquiao said they would make good use of it.
“We’re now in deep preparation for the Commissioner’s Cup and we’re devising plays suiting our team with our tall import,” said Pacquiao, among the celebrities in the gallery in Game Three of the San Miguel Beer-Alaska showdown for the PBA Philippine Cup crown.
Pacquiao showed up at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with Ramos and Kia team manager Eric Pineda.
“Tingin ko magkakaroon ng kumpiyansang tumira ang mga shooters namin dahil meron na kaming rebounder,” Pacquiao said.
“Ang masasabi ko lang mamang-mama ito, at panoorin na lang nila,” said Pineda when asked to describe their import.
The Sorento are pinning their hopes on this former Puerto Rican national player as the team looks to improve on their 11th-place finish in their maiden PBA tourney.
“We’re confident we’ll start to win games with our import,” said Pineda.
Ramos, 29, was a member of the Puerto Rico national squad that pulled the rug from under the US team bannered by NBA players, 92-73, in the preliminary round of the 2004 Athens Olympics. He played for the Washington Wizards in the NBA.
Pineda has said earlier they’re studying their options on their first round pick for the 2015 PBA Rookie Draft as they have received “feelers” from another team expressing intention to acquire their draft rights through a trade.
An internet report said Talk n Text is willing to give away Jayson Castro for that Kia draft pick which could give the Tropang Texters a shot at players like Bobby Ray Parks, Kiefer Ravena or Moala Tautuaa.
“We’ve got feelers at pinag-iisipan namin,” Pineda said.
“Sa amin, kung makakatulong why not. Pero mas maganda sana kung samahan nila ng big man,” Pineda also said.
Pineda said they would assess everything as they’re determined to compete and improve from the last conference where they won only one of 11 games.
After playing over 20 players in the Philippine Cup, Pineda said they now have a core group, including free agent acquisition Mark Yee. (SB)
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