Meralco is bracing for another busy season ahead, not just for the coming Golden Year of the PBA, but also for the highly-anticipated EASL campaign where the Bolts will have an opportunity of putting their most talented roster ever.
The team is bolstered by Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player, Justin Brownlee, who will join forces with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, resident import of TNT, and Ismael Romero, Puerto Rico’s national team campaigner in the FIBA World Cup.
There’s only one spot available for the Bolts’ EASL roster and that is allocated to the Asian import.
Speaking to Pinoystep.com, team manager Paolo Trillo explained that they’re still waiting for the release of the papers of the player whom they’re eyeing to take over the Asian import slot.
“We’ve submitted an initial list of 20 players to the EASL,” said Trillo in a Viber conversation. “It’s quite similar to FIBA where you need to submit an initial list before naming your final 12. I understand that there was a finalized roster which came out in social media, but that’s not our final line up yet. We’re still waiting for our Asian import.”
That Asian import, according to Trillo, will need to secure a VISA that has multiple entries to avoid hassle of playing in different countries.
“Remember Su Braimoh, our former import? He had troubles with his VISA because he secured a single entry, hence prevented us from joining us in the other stops of the EASL,” added Trillo. “Our Asian import will need to secure a VISA with multiple entries.”
This developed as Trillo likewise confirmed that Gilas Pilipinas naturalized players Ange Kouame isn’t included in the final roster.
“His spot was already taken by Justin Brownlee, who is also a naturalized player,” added Trillo.
The EASL has allowed Meralco, the Philippines’ lone representative to the EASL after San Miguel Beer and TNT begged off from participation, to field in four reinforcements — two imports, one naturalized player and one Asian import.
Nenad Vucinic, the Serbian active coaching consultant of the Bolts, will call the shots for Meralco in the coming tournament with PBA head coach Luigi Trillo helping him out.
Norman Black, also a consultant, helped out Trillo in the preseason build up as Vucinic went home in Serbia to attend to some personal matters, but the PBA Hall of Famer will also be busy this year as he was tasked by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to handle the Philippine quintet in its title defense in the Southeast Asian Games.
