By JONAS TERRADO
TNT KaTropa is set to parade Stacy Davis as new import today when it takes on Blackwater in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The KaTropa are hoping to see the 23-year-old Davis live up to expectations in the 4:30 p.m. match after letting go of original import Mike Glover following an underwhelming performance against the NLEX Road Warriors exactly a week ago in Antipolo City.
Coach Nash Racela and the rest of the KaTropa were forced to play all-Filipino last Sunday but still managed to beat the Meralco Bolts, 92-90, to barge into the win column.
Meralco, disappointed with the way it performed in that match, tries to bounce back against Alaska in the other game set at 7 p.m.
Davis is listed as the all-time leading scorer of Pepperdine University with 1,786 points compiled from 2012 to 2016. He’s also second in school history with 994 career rebounds.
He recently had pro stints in Ukraine and France before coming to Manila to fill up the void left by Glover.
Glover had only 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting with 15 rebounds in TNT’s 103-90 defeat to NLEX, prompting management to give him the pink slip.
TNT faces a Blackwater squad eager to atone for its dismal 1-10 showing in the Commissioner’s Cup.
The Elite, who recently participated in the Super 8 tournament in Macau, will be reinforced again by former NBA player Henry Walker as they seek to eclipse their quarterfinal appearance from last season’s Governors’ Cup.
Blackwater will play sans center Poy Erram, who is in Jakarta representing the national team in the Asian Games.
Meanwhile, reigning two-time Best Import Allen Durham urged his team to play a defensive mentality that resembled those of championship teams after squandering a seven-point fourth quarter lead against TNT.
The Bolts face an Aces squad that will a new life minus Calvin Abueva, who was traded to the Phoenix Fuel Masters last Aug. 7.
