KaTropa, Beermen, Elite depart for Macau T12

MANILA, Philippines — TNT KaTropa, San Miguel Beer and Blackwater seek to regain some measure of pride for the Philippines in international basketball as these three PBA squads clash with some of the continent’s leading club teams in the 2019 East Asia League Terrific 12 on Sept. 17-22 in Macau.

The KaTropa, the Beermen and the Elite, with marquee reinforcements, leave the country today, joining nine teams in the hunt for the Terrific 12 crown. 

The KaTropa have tapped in former Mighty Sports import McKenzie Moore to pair with their PBA Governors Cup bet KJ McDaniels while the Elite enlisted their Commissioner’s Cup reinforcement Alex Stepheson as the partner of Marqus Blakely who replaced injured Aaron Fuller.

SMB, for its part, will have ex-Columbian import Lester Prosper as its added anchor inside together with Governors’ Cup reinforcement Dez Wells.

Prosper’s inside presence would be helpful for the Beermen especially with five-time MVP June Mar Fajardo still smarting from an ankle sprain suffered in their FIBA World Cup campaign.

The Beermen are bracketed in Group B with Chinese squad Shenzhen Aviators and reigning Terrific 12 champion Ryukyu Golden Kings from Japan B. League.