MERALCO Bolts coach Ryan Gregorio is upbeat of the coming Philippine Basketball Commissioner’s Cup, partly because of an import by the name of Anthony Dandridge, a National Collegiate Athletic Association slam-dunk champion in 2009. With his import’s impressive credentials, Gregorio believes the former University of New Mexico standout is their man.
“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,” said Gregorio.
“Overall, his athleticism is out of this world. I have not seen a player who has incredible flair 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,” the awestruck coach added.
Meralco’s upcoming encounter against Barangay Ginebra should be a good indicator if the high-flying Dandridge is indeed the right fit for the Bolts.
The match-up between the two teams officially marks the start of hostilities in the 2011 Commissioners Cup, which gets going on Feb. 18.
The Kings will be reinforced by Nathan Brumfield, a 6’3” combo forward with explosive moves to the basket, great speed and leaping ability.
“This match-up is a certified thriller. I’m sure the fans will enjoy this game,” said PBA Commissioner Chito Salud of the lone encounter that will be held at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena in Laoag City.
Salud said the entire elimination round schedule is guaranteed to be exciting because all games are “must wins,” pointing out the short format of the conference that features imports with a height ceiling of 6’4” and the participation of Smart-Gilas Pilipinas.
“Our format for the second conference makes every game count. That means there will be no boring playdate in the elimination round,” Salud said.
Under the format, each of the 10 teams will play a single round robin for a total of nine games with the four last placed teams crashing out of contention.
The top two teams of the elimination round earn outright passage into 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 move to the Final 4 which feature best-of-five tiffs.
The winners then face each other in a best-of-seven championship showdown.
Reuel Vidal, Manila Standard Today
