Red Bull import proves worth

Quemont Greer looks like he’s the right import for Red Bull in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) First Conference starting Oct. 2.

Greer, 23, exploded for a game-high 34 points in less than 34 minutes of play and was easily the most outstanding cager on the floor even as the Barakos lost an 88-83 decision to Air21 in a preseason exhibition game at the Moro Lorenzo gym in Quezon City yesterday. Express import Shawn Daniels of Utah State hit 21 points.

The 6-6, 235-pound former DePaul University star was impressive in offense and defense. "Seems like he can do many things," said Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao. "He’s only been with us two days. More of inside than outside player. Good person."

Barakos consultant Andy Jao said Greer has the facets to be a productive all-around import.

"He’s basically an inside player," said Jao. "But he plays the perimeter, too. He’s got a decent jumper from 15 feet. He’s a good post-up guy and built like a football player. He’s quiet and very athletic for a guy his size. He’s quick on short spurts. He can rebound and pass although in the PBA, he’ll have to learn how to pass off a double team and know where the double is coming from."

Jao said the setback to Air21 is no indication of how the teams will do this conference because in Red Bull’s case, Guiao did a lot of experimentation.

Greer flew in from the US early this week with high school sweetheart Sherita Sanders.

The Barakos fresh recruits are Leo Najorda, Larry Fonacier, Paolo Bugia and Celino Cruz. The holdovers are Lordy Tugade, Junthy Valenzuela, Jimwell Torion, Topex Robinson, Nelson Asaytono, Celso Baguio, Omanzie Rodriguez and Enrico Villanueva. Warren Ybanez, E. J. Fiehl and Gherome Ejercito are in the injured list. Feihl underwent surgery to remove bone spurs two weeks ago and will be sidelined for two to three more weeks. Bryan Gahol and Vergel Meneses are no longer in the lineup.

Greer is fresh out of DePaul, the NCAA Division I school that produced pros like George Mikan, Mark Aguirre, Rod Strickland, Terry Cummings, Stephen Howard and Bobby Simmons. He averaged 18.3 points and 7.6 rebounds as a senior this past season. Greer shot .443 from the field, .356 from three-point range and .619 from the line.

"He’s really skilled," said DePaul coach Dave Leitao. "He’s big and can play a little inside or a little outside. He’s got terrific touch. Quemont gained some valuable time at two different positions. His versatility helped us establish more of an up-tempo style."

Conference USA writer Tony Lane noted, "Greer can guard anyone from a two to a five" and another writer Dave Link added, "His athleticism and perimeter game made Greer the type of versatile player Leitao likes."

Former DePaul coach Pat Kennedy likened Greer to Simmons, the four-year pro who was named Most Improved Player in the National Basketball Association last season for lifting his scoring clip from 7.8 the previous year to 16.4 points a game. Simmons recently signed a five-year $47 Million contract to play for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Greer averaged 19 points, 10 rebounds and three assists playing for Vincent High School in Milwaukee and Berkshire Academy in Homestead, Florida before enrolling at DePaul in 2001. He hit at a 6.9 clip as a freshman but tallied 25 points, including 5-of-7 treys, against Temple and 22 against Murray State.

As a sophomore in 2002-03, Greer scored 9.4 points a game and started 19 of 26 outings, splitting time between small and power forward. The next season, DePaul registered a 22-10 mark, its most wins in a year since 1987-88, as Greer averaged 12.6 points and 7.4 rebounds.

Greer wound up his varsity career with flying colors. At the end of his senior season, he was named to the All-Conference USA first team, only the second DePaul player to be honored after Quentin Richardson. Greer also set a school record by notching eight 20-point games in a row and a Conference USA mark for bagging three straight Player of the Week awards. He also scored his career-high 32 points against the University of Illinois at Chicago in his senior year.

Greer is one of two fresh college graduates playing in the PBA this coming conference. The other is Purefoods’ Marquin Chandler of San Jose State.

Meanwhile, Sta. Lucia Realty coach Alfrancis Chua said he still has to sign an import.

Original choice Lenny Cooke was sent home after a single practice as the New York City playground legend appeared out of shape, not having played since breaking his left shin and femur in a car accident last December.

"Lenny has fully recovered from his injuries," said Cooke’s agent Mike Gonzalez. "But Sta. Lucia’s PT (physical therapy) staff felt there’s a big risk of Lenny getting re-injured. Lenny really wanted to play. He promised to be in 100 percent shape within three weeks. After all, it took only half a year for him to recover from an ACL injury and the car accident happened over eight months ago. He’s about 10 to 12 pounds overweight. In the end, the decision was not to take a chance on Lenny because of the possibility of re-injury."

Gonzalez said the Realtors are considering either former Tanduay import Kevin Freeman or Brian Lubeck of the University of Louisiana at Monroe as their import. Freeman, who played for Tanduay with Chua as coach in 2001, has first crack at the job and will make up his mind this weekend. He has an offer to play in Spain. Lubeck, 26, averaged 16.7 points for the Rockford Lightning in the Continental league last season. He has an offer to play for Metrix Magic Nijmagen in the Dutch league.

Aside from Greer, this conference’s PBA imports are Alaska’s Tee McClary of Jacksonville, San Miguel Beer’s Rico Hill of Illinois State, Barangay Ginebra’s Mustapha Hoff of Oregon State, Talk ‘N’ Text’s Damien Cantrell of the University of San Francisco, Coca-Cola’s Alex Carcamo of Eastern Washington University, Chandler and Daniels.