MAKE WAY FOR UNIQUE ASIAN-FLAVORED GOVS’ CUP
PBA chairman Patrick Gregorio’s initiative to give the league an Asian flavor comes to fruition in the Governors’ Cup as six of the 12 teams will fortify their squads with imports from the continent.
Commissioner’s Cup champion Talk ‘N Text is set to parade the most decorated recruit of all in Osama Dahgles.
The Jordanian playmaker is no stranger to the Philippines as he faced off with our national team numerous times in the international stage. He has also since struck up a close friendship with TNT team manager Jimmy Alapag, as the two have mutual respect for one another after a number of wars on the hardcourt in the past decade.
Now, the two join forces in the Tropang Texters’ camp as they eye back-to-back titles after copping the Commissioner’s Cup plum last Wednesday.
NLEX also added another big name to its roster. The Road Warriors secured the services of Syrian legend Michel Madanly to boost their campaign for the season-ending conference.
Madanly is a lights out scorer who has also made his foray into the Chinese Basketball Association, where he teamed up with Denzel Bowles for the Jilin Northeast Tigers.
Meralco, for its part, is going all-in with Iranian guard Benny Koochoie after losing out on Mehdi Kamrani.
Barangay Ginebra will try its luck on Mongolian combo-guard Sanchir Tungalag as it seeks to end a seven-year title drought come the Governors’ Cup. Sanchir’s entry to the PBA will be a historic one, as he will be the first ever Mongolian athlete to act as a reinforcement in a foreign league.
Staying with Middle Eastern players, GlobalPort will be fielding in Palestinian Omar Krayem in hopes of further establishing its already ferocious backcourt.
Kia, meanwhile, is putting its trust on Taiwanese scorer Jet Chang to further improve the Carnival’s standing in the Governors’ Cup.
The other six teams which decided against recruiting an Asian reinforcement can still opt to do so at any time during the conference.
Aside from the Asian imports, who all made the 6-foot-3 height limit, teams are also allowed to enlist a regular import with a height restriction of 6-foot-5 for the top eight teams, and an import with no height limit for Blackwater, Kia, Barako Bull and GlobalPort.
The 2015 PBA Governors’ Cup will tip-off on Tuesday, May 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with Blackwater and Alaska opening the curtains. Meralco and GlobalPort then take the floor in the 7 p.m. nightcap. (RL)
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