MANILA, Philippines — Rasheim Wright is confident and ready to produce the experience and numbers expected from him as the Philippine Patriots eye a repeat over the Singapore Slingers this Sunday in the AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) Season 2 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Unknown to many, Wright is the same player who terrorized the PBA-backed Philippine team during the 2007 FIBA-Asian Championship in Japan while still playing for the national team of Jordan.
He became a naturalized Jordanian citizen in that same year and helped the Arab nation gain a berth in the FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey early this year.
Blessed with a pair of deadly hands and great leaping ability, Wright is expected to bring respectability back to the team co-owned by Harbour Centre big boss Mikee Romero and Tony Boy Cojuangco following its stinging 71-56 defeat to the Brunei Barracudas last Sunday in Brunei.
The defeat ended the PHL Patriots’ five-game winning streak.
Team manager Erick Arejola believes Wright, who arrived only last Wednesday from Philadephia, Pennsylvania, is the rightful replacement for the injured import Anthony Johnson, saying: “He’s really deadly from afar and very quick.”
For his side, Wright appeared impressed with the team, saying: “The team looks very strong, shows lot of hustle and I think we can do something.”
