MERALCO is not done rebuilding for the Commissioner’s Cup of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

After acquiring the energetic Solomon Mercado in a three-team trade, the Bolts picked Renren Ritualo, who used to be one of the league’s top shooters but struggled of late as he journeyed around three teams in the past six seasons.

Meralco head coach Ryan Gregorio said signing up Ritualo was the team’s way of taking the “intelligent direction” as his presence would give Mercado and his other slashers more space to operate.

“The arrival of Sol has changed the needs of our team. His [Mercado] effectiveness as a penetrator will be enhanced because he has a pure shooter [Ritualo] on the wings who will be guarded,” Gregorio told the BusinessMirror. “The operating space of Sol, Chris [Ross] and Mac [Cardona] must not be clogged.”

Powerade put the 31-year-old Ritualo on the free-agency list, thus giving the Bolts the opportunity to tap another player without losing one of its own. Meralco, however, is forced to release Ogie Menor in the free agency to keep a 14-man roster.

Gregorio is confident that the 2008 PBA All-Star Three-Point Shooting champion will be an asset to the team in the next tournament.

“Renren is only 31. He is a spot-up shooter with incredible range beyond the three-point line. He’s also an off-screen shooter with a quick release and is also an accurate free-throw shooter,” he added.

The former De La Salle standout’s numbers have dropped in the last six seasons mainly because of lack of playing time. He, too, is described as a one-dimensional player.

After averaging 17.9 points per game in the 2005-06 season with Talk ‘N Text, his average decreased to 14.3 ppg in 2006-07, 11.8 ppg in 2007-08, 7.1 ppg in 2008-09 and 6.6 ppg in 2009-10. He was with the Tropang Texters and Air21 Express then.

This year the six-foot-one Ritualo was traded to the Tigers and became a third scoring guard for coach Bo Perasol after Gary David and Mark Macapagal. He averaged 7.4 points per game in the Philippine Cup.

With Meralco, Ritualo will be reunited with former Green Archers teammate Cardona. He is expected to be Cardona’s chief reliever in Gregorio’s shooting guard rotation.

“While his defense has remained as his weak spot, we can utilize his actual shooting as his strong reputation as a deadly sniper when left unguarded,” Gregorio said. “He’s a career 36-percent three-point shooter and is known as one of the best shooters in a while.”

Meralco will be Ritualo’s fourth team in 10 years in the league. He was drafted at No. 8 by the Express in 2002, traded to Talk ‘N Text in 2006, returned to Air21 last season and was dealt to Powerade this year.

Air21, meanwhile, signed up Jajuan Smith as its import for the Commissioner’s Cup which starts on February 18. The 25-year-old Smith played college ball at University of Tennessee and suited up for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2005 Summer League.

Joel Orellana, Business Mirror