Derby Ace’s standby import Shamari Spears made the height limit but the Llamados will parade Brown instead in their 7:30 p.m. encounter against the Elasto Painters, now coached by Yeng Guiao.

“Wala pang hangin si Spears and he’s still figuring out our plays and the system,” said Derby Ace head coach Jorge Gallent. “Si Brown matagal na and he knows the system. May potential naman kaya we’ll give him a try.”

Spears was measured six-feet-three and 11/16 inches, good enough to make the six-foot-four ceiling. He could be playing for the Llamados on Saturday against Powerade in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

Gallent said Brown is not a bad player but he does not address the team’s need of a big man. Kerby Raymundo and Rafi Reavis will only play in early March.

“Si Brown kasi puro drive. Wala kaming perimeter big man who can shoot from 16 to 18 feet range. Work ethic wala naman problema but he just does not solve our problem,” said Gallent.

Spears, according to Gallent, has a decent perimeter game, something the team needs especially when James Yap and Peter June Simon get doubled.

The Llamados will be up against a Rain or Shine team that tinkered on its roster during the break. The Elasto Painters picked up Guiao from Air21 then traded Sol Mercado (to Meralco) and Jay-R Reyes (to the Express) while getting Ronjay Buenfe and Beau Belga in return.

Rain or Shine is parading former National Basketball Association campaigner Hassan Adams.

“I feel good about our team,” said Guiao. “They have adapted well to the system. We are moving the ball well and our intensity is high. I am very happy with our import and it looks like he knows how to win games.”

Adams had stints at New Jersey, Toronto and Los Angeles Clippers and was Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala’s teammate at Arizona. He was also part of the US under-21 team in 2004.

With the departure of Mercado and Reyes, Adams and Buenafe are expected to carry much of the scoring cudgels for Guiao with Gabe Norwood also being more involved on offense.

In the first game, Alaska hopes to continue its impressive preseason performance as it battles the Tigers at 5 p.m.

The Aces, who dealt veteran forward Reynel Hugnatan to Meralco for Hans Thiele and Paolo Bugia, are parading high-flyer Larry Demetrius “LD” Williams, while Powerade will be beefed up by Russel Carter.

Both imports were not the original choices of their teams. Eddie Basden was Alaska’s first prospect but was over the height limit while the Tigers were not impressed with Titus Ivory and decided to bring in Carter.

“He jumps out of the gym and is very athletic,” said Cone of Williams, who finished fourth in the slam-dunk contest in the US NCAA last year. “Of course, he still young [22] and he’s a lot to learn about the triangle.”

Powerade head coach Bo Perasol has also high hopes for Carter, a former Notre Dame standout.

“He will definitely help us offensively. He’s going to play extended minutes so he needs to be physically and mentally prepared to do that,” said Perasol.

Joel Orellana, Business Mirror