Payback for imports

For five imports now playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Reinforced Conference quarterfinals, it’s not only about winning games. It’s also about exacting sweet revenge.

Coca-Cola’s Artemus McClary, Barangay Ginebra’s Rosell Ellis, Sta. Lucia Realty’s Ray Tutt, Alaska’s Isaac Fontaine and San Miguel Beer’s Kwan Johnson are no strangers to the PBA. They’ve been there before and done that.

But none is playing for his original team. In a sense, they’re discards who’ve returned to the league via the backdoor.

Under PBA rules, an import who previously played in the league becomes an unrestricted free agent only if his former team does not sign him again after a year from playing a season. An import must secure a release from his former team to suit up for another club within a year from playing a season. To see action for a sister team of his former club the year after playing a season, the import must be offered to unrelated teams and cleared after five working days. McClary, 29, played two years for Mobiline in 1997 and 1998 before taking his sneakers to Korea where he was the MVP in 2000-01 for leading Samsung to the national title and a 29-9 record. McClary, the league’s shortest import, is back in the PBA after a four-year absence. He is reunited with Jeffrey Cariaso, his former Mobiline teammate, at Coca-Cola.

Tigers coach Chot Reyes brought in McClary on a trial basis this season and considered rehiring Ellis, who teamed with Ron Hale to take Coca-Cola to third place in the First Conference last year, in case the former Jacksonville University guard didn’t work out. Ellis had played for Reyes at Pop Cola in 2001.

After McClary took the Tigers to a 5-0 start, Reyes decided not to fix what ain’t broke and relinquished Coca-Cola’s rights to Ellis.

Ginebra coach Allan Caidic then set his sights on Ellis as Ricky Davis’ replacement but couldn’t sign him outright because of the five-day waiver rule since Coca-Cola and the Kings are sister teams.

Ellis, 28, was cleared to join Ginebra after the unrelated teams passed him up. Before signing up with Ginebra, he played a week with former Mobiline import Tod Bernard in an invitational tournament in Brunei.

A hard worker like McClary, Ellis has powered Ginebra to a 4-1 record since his arrival. What’s probably motivating Ellis even more is the fact that in the quarters, he’s matched up against McClary–the import who took his spot in the Tigers lineup.

Ellis paid back Coca-Cola with interest as he lifted Ginebra to a 104-94 win over the Tigers in Game 1 of their quarters series at the Big Dome last Sunday. He scored 26 points to McClary’s 37 and got solid support from his local teammates, four of whom finished in twin digits. Ellis’ boundless energy has become a source of strength for Ginebra.

Tutt, 28, played two years for Red Bull. In the 2000 Governors Cup, he took the Thunder to third place. But in the 2001 Third Conference, he failed to lead Red Bull to the semis as Sta. Lucia, with a twice-to-beat advantage, took only a game to eliminate the Thunder in the quarters. The Realtors, starring Damian Owens, went on to capture the title. Ironically, it was Owens whom Tutt replaced to join the Realtors this season.

Fontaine, 28, played the last four games for Sta. Lucia as Joe Temple’s replacement in the 2000 Governors Cup and the Realtors could only rack up a 1-3 mark. He went on to play for the Memphis Grizzlies in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2001-02 then led the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) in three-point shooting last season.

Fontaine was signed up by Alaska to replace Chris Carrawell and has a rare opportunity to pay back Sta. Lucia for never bringing him back. The Aces and Realtors are facing off in the best-of-3 quarters.

Johnson, 29, is another import with retribution on his mind. He teamed with the disgraced Fil-Sham Rob Parker in the Commissioner’s Cup and played briefly in the Governors Cup for Sta. Lucia in 1999. KJ was replaced by Temple after four games in the 1999 Governors Cup.

After a three-year absence, KJ is back. He took over from Shea Seals at San Miguel. If the Beermen hurdle FedEx and Sta. Lucia beats Alaska in the quarters, KJ will be in a position to stick it to the Realtors in the semis.

McClary, Ellis, Tutt, Fontaine and Johnson are men on a mission. The "balik" imports out to prove they’re still a force to reckon with in the PBA.