King, Giants have new imports

King, Giants have new imports

By: Zean Macamay Source: www.journal.com.ph

Cyrus Baguio of the South team forces his way up for a basket against Enrico Villanueva (left) and MacMac Cardona of the North squad in Sunday’s PBA All-Star game in Bacolod City. The Southerners won in overtime, 163-158. STANDINGS W L Coca-Cola 5 1 Red Bull 4 1 Talk ‘N Text 4 2 Sta. Lucia 3 2 Magnolia 3 2 Purefoods 2 3 Alaska 2 3 Air21 2 3 Welcoat 1 4 Ginebra 0 5 Games on Wednesday: (Araneta Coliseum) 4:50 p.m.-- Welcoat vs Magnolia 7:20 p.m. -- Coca-Cola vs Red Bull BACOLOD CITY �" By tomorrow, Ginebra will have a new import. In the days to come, Purefoods might just have a new one, too. The Gin Kings’ third import for the Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference arrives tomorrow, a 7-foot-1, 260-pounder who averaged in double figures on points and rebounds in 40 games while playing for the National Basketball Development League in the U.S. Chris Alexander, a 27-year old Iowa State product, replaces the error-prone Ernest Brown, the 7-footer who failed to steer the Gin Kings to a victory just like the import he bumped off �" Rahshon Turner. Brown looked like a reinforcement that could fit well in the Ginebra system, norming 19 points and 10 rebounds in three games. But he was clearly a player that’s careless with the ball, averaging a conference worst 6.4 turnovers. A reliable source who refused to be identified bared this latest development needed by the Gin Kings, who are the only winless team in the season-ending conference and are one defeat away from going down to their worst start in eight years. Ginebra has by far suffered five straight losses, with their last three coming by an average margin of three points. If it loses on Friday against Purefoods, it will be its worst start since also going 0-5 (win-loss) in the 2000 Commissioner’s Cup. Alexander will be the third import with a height of at least 7 feet to step onto the PBA this conference. Adam Parada of Red Bull turned out to be a prize catch, leading the Bulls to a 4-1 slate. The Bulls can even take the solo lead if they win over league-leader Coca-Cola once the tournament resumes on Wednesday. Brown, however, wasn’t a success story despite respectable numbers on points and rebounds. In Alexander, the Gin Kings acquire an all-around player with a superb touch from the free-throw line. In his last stint in the U.S., he powered the Sioux Falls Skyforce to the semifinals in the NBDL where he averaged 11.6 points and 11.2 rebounds in 40 gruelling games. He is likely to play with the Gin Kings on Friday against the Giants, who apparently are contemplating on replacing their explosive import in Darius Rice. Rice is the No. 1 scorer in the tournament, but his individualistic style of play appears not suited to the system of Purefoods, which only have two wins to show in five games. One of the imports the Giants are trying to acquire, according to another highly-placed source, is Chris Burgess. Burgess already played in the PBA and had produced superb numbers, averaging 17 points and 17 rebounds while playing for San Miguel Beer in the 2004-05 Fiesta Conference. He led the Beermen into the semifinals but suffered a serious ankle injury. He was replaced by Adrian Curtis but San Miguel still went on to beat Red Bull in the semis and won the championship in only five games opposite Talk ‘N Text. “He (Rice) might be the No. 1 in scoring, but majority of the touches on our offense are his. The team doesn’t need a scoring champion, what the team needs is a team player who can bring out the best on the locals.” Purefoods’ sudden idea to change its import clearly emanated from the result of its last game April 20. It went up against perennial bottom-dweller Welcoat and was stung by a 103-110 defeat.