FedEx sees Meneses as take-charge guy

Vergel Meneses, nicknamed "The Aerial Voyager" due to his acrobatic moves to the basket, was taken in from Barangay Ginebra by new PBA team FedEx Express in exchange for one of its first round draft picks next season.

The trade was made yesterday by FedEx Express team manager Lito Alvarez and Jun Cabalan, Ginebra representative to the PBA board, both of whom expressed satisfaction over this latest blockbuster player transfer.

"We are a new team yearning for a veteran and Meneses fills that need," said Alvarez, who is also president of Airfreight 2100, the sole franchisee of FedEx in the country.

"I believe Meneses can contribute a lot to this team and make an immediate impact in our PBA campaign this Commissioner’s Cup," he added.

The 33-year-old Meneses will receive the maximum P500,000 salary on a contract that will last until 2004.

Meneses could be what the doctor ordered for an Express team in need of a take-charge guy, most especially in the coming All-Filipino Conference.

Bong Alvarez, the FedEx Express’ top local player in the Governor’s Cup, is on leave, while rookies Ren-Ren Ritualo and Yancy de Ocampo, are feeling their way into the PBA brand of play.