MERALCO import Anthony Dandridge, a former University of New Mexico standout, will be tested right on Feb. 18 when he goes up against Ginebra reinforcement Nathan Brumfield in a lone game kicking off the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena in Laoag City. Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio is convinced Dandridge will be a perfect fit for the team, saying: "He complements the game of our guards. His quickness and ability to finish fastbreak situations are some of his assets that could help our team.
"His athleticism is out of this world. I have not seen a player who has incredible flare when finishing fastbreak attacks. If I were a fan, I would definitely watch him play just to get a good glimpse of his highlight reels."
Brumfield, a 6-foot-3 combo forward, has great speed and leaping ability and is also armed with explosive moves to the basket, according to the Kings.
"This match-up is a certified thriller. I’m sure fans will enjoy this game," said Commissioner Chito Salud.
Salud said all games in the eliminations featuring imports no taller than 6-foot-4 are "must wins."
"Our format for the second conference makes every game counts. That
means there will be no boring playdates in the eliminations," Salud said.
Under the format, the 10 teams will play a single-round eliminations, with the last four teams crashing out of contention.
The top two teams gain outright passage to the semifinals while the third, fourth, fifth and sixth placed teams advance to the best-of-three quarterfinals.
The winners of the two quarterfinal match-ups advance to the semifinals, a best-of-five battle. The winners clash in the best-of-seven title showdown.
