Meralco is set to make its second straight appearance in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup set Sept. 24 to 29 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Bolts team manager Paolo Trillo confirmed the Bolts’ participation in FIBA’s annual Asian club competition with former San Miguel Beer and Alab Pilipinas import Renaldo Balkman set to reinforce the squad.
Balkman, who was named Most Valuable Player when Mighty Sports-Philippines ruled the William Jones Cup in Taiwan last month, will team up with resident import Allen Durham as participating teams are allowed to field two foreign players.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial said the Bolts’ participation had been agreed recently since FIBA gave the league a slot in the six-day tournament.
He added that the Bolts will be allowed to play their first match in the season-ending PBA Governors’ Cup which starts Sept. 20 before leaving for Bangkok for the competition.
The Bolts are expected to face stiff competition with Chinese Basketball Association champion Guandong Southern Tigers, Korean Basketball League winner Ulsan Hyundai, Japan’s B.League titlist Alvark Tokyo, East Inter-Sub Zone qualifiers Hi-Tech Bangkok City of Thailand and Fubon Braves of Taiwan set to participate.
Two more slots are at stake from the West Inter-Sub Zone qualifiers.
Meralco hopes to have little trouble this time after eligibility and imports problems hounded the team last year in nearby Nonthaburi, Thailand.
FIBA barred Chris Newsome and Cliff Hodge due to the world governing body’s strict passport requirements while the Bolts had to tap Diamond Stone as second import at the last minute after Canadian center Liam McMorrow suffered an injury.
Despite the struggles, the Bolts, led by Durham, were able to sneak a semis slot before losing to eventual champion Petrochimi of Iran in the semis.
Meralco fell to South Korea’s Seoul SL Knights in a battle for third place. (Jonas Terrado)
