Alapag comes out of retirement, will suit up for Meralco
One-time PBA MVP awardee Jimmy Alapag is coming back from retirement not just for a possible return to Gilas Pilipinas but to serve duty as playing assistant coach of the Meralco Bolts.
While with the Philippine contingent in D-Day of the bidding war for the 2019 FIBA World Cup hosting rights, Alapag’s playing rights were moved over to Meralco from Talk N’ Text in a trade deal involving Blackwater.
Talk N’ Text regained the rights on forward Larry Rodriguez while Blackwater absorbed guard Mike Cortez and center James Sena from Meralco in the second trade transaction approved under new PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa.
On Monday, Narvasa gave his nod on Joseph Yeo’s transfer to Globalport from Barako Bull. The Energy Cola, in turn, gained a future draft pick by the Batang Pier.
The MVP Group struck a trade deal with Blackwater although busy at the forefront of the country’s bid to gain the FIBA World Cup hosting rights and also occupied with the start of Gilas Pilipinas’ preparation for the FIBA Asia Championship in China next month.
Before the finalization of the trade deal, Alapag has sweated it out with Gilas Pilipinas, joining the Nationals’ first two days of training.
With all the withdrawals from the pool, the 2011 PBA MVP, now 37, said he’s ready to suit up if his service is needed.
Before the trade, Alapag had been a Talk N’ Text Texter all his PBA life, serving as team manager of the team after announcing his retirement in midstream of the 2014-15 PBA season.
Signing the trade papers were Meralco team manager Paolo Trillo, Blackwater alternate governor Wilbert Loa and Talk n Text assistant team manager Magnum Membrere.
With Alapag now with Meralco, Virgil Villavicencio is assuming his old job as TNT team manager.
Alapag, the 2003 Rookie of the Year, has career averages of 12.4 points, 5.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds. In 12 games played last season, he made 6.5 points, 2.2 assists and 2.17 rebounds per outing after a wondrous stint as Gilas skipper in the 2014 World Cup. (SB)
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