Red Bull management, in fact, has decided to stick it out with the Nigerian import, dashing cold water over hot reports that the team is planning to bring in a new import just to prevent Talk N Text from clinching its first PBA crown tomorrow night at the Astrodome.
"Patay na kung patay (with Nwosu)," Red Bull team manager Tony Chua was quoted as saying yesterday, after the Thunder suffered a harrowing 55-77 experience that gave the Phone Pals a lofty 3-2 lead against the embattled defending champions.
After losing Game 3 and trailing in the series 1-2, Red Bull management decided to part ways with Lang, giving the former Duke star the pink slip and a lot to think about on his long way back home with his family.
Lang, who led the Thunder to the title last year, reportedly suffered an injury in Game 3 although it was the fact that management was simply dissatisfied with his performance, especially in the series opener which Red Bull also lost, that weighed heavier in the public’s mind.
Sources said the decision to hang on to Nwosu came from upstairs, and right after Lang was sent home.
Sean Lampley took the place of Lang in Game 4 and promptly responded, leading the Thunder to a series-tying 89-81 win.
"He (Nwosu) was asked by the team owner (George Chua) if he wanted to stay on and his answer was ‘I’m ready to give you the championships," a team source said yesterday.
A different answer, the source added, would have led to another major decision on the part of management. As a matter of fact, Nwosu was told that a replacement, named Corey Hightower, is already on standby, and ready to plane in any minute.
Nwosu, however, seemed to have failed to keep his promise, at least during Game 5, where he was held to four points, six rebounds and four blocks while committing five turnovers in 31 minutes, a chuck of which were spent arguing with the referees.
He was even slapped a technical foul in the final half for elbowing Felix Belano as the pesky Talk N Text guard was about to try and steal the ball from the towering Red Bull import. Coach Yeng Guiao said keeping Nwosu is the wiser decision since the series is already heading into its last two games at the most."
Masyado nang mahirap na magpalit pa ng import sa puntong ito dahil very crucial na kung gagawa ka pa ng move. At hindi lang naman si Nwosu as factor sa naging pagkatalo," he told a scribe yesterday.