The EASL may not be the last your going to see Ismael Romero in a Meralco Bolts uniform.
Nenad Vucinic, Meralco’s head coach in the EASL, shared to Pinoystep.com the team’s plan of tapping him for next year’s PBA Commissioner’s Cup where imports of unlimited height are going to be featured.
“Most likely, we’ll bring him in,” said Vucinic. “We’re on discussions with him of bringing him as our import for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.”
A FIBA World Cup veteran who played for the Puerto Rico national team two years ago, the well-built , 6-foot-8 power player has been the source of strength in the interior of the Bolts in the ongoing EASL tournament.
With Romero as the main man in the middle, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Justin Brownlee at forward spots and Sina Vahedi, hailed as the best point guard in Asia, serving as facilitator, the Bolts are now on a roll, winning three in a row and putting themselves in a much better position to advance to the next round.
Following Meralco’s third win in this season’s EASL, the Bolts had already surpassed the record of their previous campaigns in this event, which means they are now enjoying their most successful stint since taking part in the fast-growing regional event that has attracted teams from East Asia.
By bringing in Romero for the Commissioner’s Cup, Meralco will fill in the missing piece that has been lacking the team in import-laced tournaments which feature bigger imports.
The Bolts had successful runs in the championship round with Allen Durham on board, who guided the team to three championship runs in the Governors’ Cup where imports 6-foot-6 and below were playing. In all those tournaments, Durham was named Best Import three times, but they’ve lost in all those battles to Brownlee and his Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings.
Romero might become a potential resident import of the Bolts as his physique, strength and toughness altogether wilk certainly make him a better fit to lead Meralco to its first championship in an import-flavored conference.
