Where will the PBA second conference be held? Right now, teams aren’t allowed full-contact practice in NCR under alert level three conditions so players are either doing zoom workouts or getting together in small batches for individual training. If alert level three persists, teams may once again move to provinces under MGCQ or GCQ for scrimmages. It won’t be too long before the Governors Cup begins. The target is to open in the third or fourth week of this month.
TNT coach Chot Reyes left for Los Angeles last Monday but will be back this Tuesday. He’ll do the mandatory five-day hotel quarantine before resuming practice on Monday, Nov. 15. Rookie Mikey Williams also took off for the US last Wednesday. Reyes said he’ll check out import options for the future. He’s filling his data bank with candidates of different heights just in case the league expands the scope of recruitment in the coming years. TNT’s import for the next conference is Mckenzie Moore so that slot is filled. Moore isn’t a total stranger to TNT as he played as one of two imports for the Tropa in the EASL Terrific 12 in Macao in 2019. The former University of Texas at El Paso forward suited up for Mighty Sports that went 8-0 in the 2019 Jones Cup with Williams.
Alaska coach Jeff Cariaso said he’s finalizing discussions to bring in Olu Ashaolu as the Aces import in the Governors Cup. “We’ve been conducting small group workouts,” he said. “We hope to be able to practice as a team soon.” San Miguel Beer team manager Gee Abanilla said Brandon Brown will banner the team in the coming conference. Brown, 36, averaged 34.8 points as a replacement for Eugene Phelps with Phoenix in the 2017 Governors Cup and his showing made an impression on the San Miguel coaching staff. In 2008-09, he averaged 21.5 points and 8.7 rebounds for the California State at San Bernardino varsity. Brown’s lengthy resume shows stops all over the world in Bahrain, Israel, Greece, Turkey, Korea, Saudi Arabia, China, Lithuania, Portugal, Iceland, Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, Cyprus, France and Poland. His weight is listed at 240 pounds, making him and Blackwater’s Jaylen Bond the heaviest among the incoming imports.
NLEX coach Yeng Guiao said the Road Warriors began practice in small groups last Monday and if NCR remains under restricted conditions, he’ll relocate workouts back to Pampanga. Magnolia coach Chito Victolero said the Hotshots will take a two-week break to recover from the grueling Philippine Cup. But the players may be recalled earlier depending on when the second conference will start. He confirmed that former Alaska import Mike Harris will suit up for Magnolia. At 38, Harris will be the oldest import in town.
Terrafirma coach Johnedel Cardel opened practice last Wednesday and he’s hoping import Antonio Hester will be a game changer. Although Hester played in the NAIA, not the NCAA, he gained extensive mileage as an import in Greece, Switzerland, Dominican Republic, Finland, Spain, Bolivia, Peru and Iceland. Phoenix coach Topex Robinson said the Fuel Masters started small group practices this week. Assistant coach Jamike Jarin said import Paul Harris “will help us big time.” Harris, 35, previously suited up for TNT and one game for Ginebra before suffering a fractured thumb in 2016.
Blackwater coach Ariel Vanguardia has been busy beefing up the Bossing lineup and so far, has brought in Jvee Casio, Barkley Ebona, Rashawn McCarthy, Val Chauca and Jong Baloria. Blackwarer’s import is Bond, Jaylen Bond and if he’s anywhere as deadly as 007, the Bossing will be a headache for a lot of teams this conference. Bond, 28, has played in Italy, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Rain or Shine coach Chris Gavina said small group practices began last week. Gavina’s choice as import is NBA veteran Henry Walker who has played for Alaska, NLEX and Blackwater. NorthPort was scheduled to start practice late this week.