MANILA, Philippines — Columbian Dyip braces for a tougher test after a resounding debut versus Blackwater Sunday as it tackles Meralco and former Best Import awardee Arinze Onuaku in the second play date of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today.
Even with a mere nine-point game from CJ Aiken, Columbian Autocorp ball club walloped Blackwater, 126-98, largely behind the wondrous games of Fil-Am guards Jerramy King and Rashawn McCarthy.
But they’re likely to face an uphill battle versus Onuaku and his teammates in their 4:30 p.m. tussle.
With a consistent hulking performance from the bull-strong Onuaku, the Bolts barely missed the finale in this mid-season tourney in 2016.
A three-year NBA veteran and a three-time NBA D-League All Star, Onuaku beat the likes of Denzel Bowles, Ricardo Ratliffe, Al Thornton and Arizona Reid for the Best Import award in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.
He is coming off fresh from a stint with the Zheijiang Golden Bulls team in the Chinese league in his PBA comeback.
“We are hoping that the addition of Arinze will help us in the paint area where we have struggled with rebounding and low post offense,” said Meralco coach Norman Black.
Meanwhile, Columbian Dyip coach Ricky Dandan said their import is still under the microscope.
Phoenix Petroleum is another team making a conference debut today, taking on Blackwater in the 7 p.m. mainer in a duel between two teams that barely missed the Philippine Cup playoffs on inferior quotient.
The Elite struggled in their own debut Sunday, going down to a 28-point blowout loss to Columbian Dyip.