NorthPort defends sudden import change

MANILA, Philippines -- “Venky is our resident import.”

Following a sudden and early import change, NorthPort Batang Pier head coach Bonnie Tan underscored that Jois has always been the foreign reinforcement in mind in the PBA Governors’ Cup.

NorthPort’s original import, Taylor Johns, had an impressive debut in the Philippine league, flirting with a triple double with 36 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists against the TNT Tropang Giga.

A couple of days later, the Batang Pier announced that Jois will be filling in for Johns.

But the import change seemed to work wonders, as NorthPort drubbed the Terrafirma Dyip, 112-93, on Friday.

While William Navarro led the way with a career-high 31 points, Jois produced 16 points, five rebounds and six assists.

After the game, Tan said that Jois was always the import of choice of the team.

“Regarding our import, Venky is our resident import. In terms of familiarity with our locals, he has been here so he just did not come in time for our first game, but he was here already,” the coach told reporters.

“He had some personal commitments, that’s why we had our backup import, Taylor Johns. We all know he played well, we will not get an import that will not be good, but we just have a commitment with Venky based on our last conference that he made us enter the quarterfinals,” he added.

Jois was a pivotal part of the Batang Pier squad that ended up sixth in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup last year. NorthPort, however, was eliminated by Barangay Ginebra.

In a statement posted on the PBA website on Thursday, Tan stressed that the team needed an inside presence in the import-laden conference, especially with big man JM Calma still missing time due to injury.

“We just discussed our lapses during the latter part of that conference which he played, which he agreed with also. So, there was a mutual understanding that he will be back as our resident import of the NorthPort team,” the mentor stressed in Friday’s postgame interview.

“It was just all about the commitment of Venky. He had some personal commitments that we had to get an import that could play during our first games.”

With a 1-1 win-loss slate, the Batang Pier will continue to win its second game as they face the Converge FiberXers on Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.