FedEx hopes import measures up

Despite strong objections from the Red Bull camp, FedEx import Terrence Shannon passed the PBA measurement test yesterday and was declared fit to play in today’s opener of the Reinforced Conference in Baguio City.

Shannon, who came in as an early replacement for NBA veteran Darrin Hancock, was measured at least five times by PBA physician Ben Salud and passed the 6-5 height limit. He was officially measured at 6-4 15/16.

Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao, however, was said to have questioned the result, forcing the PBA physician to do the measurement held in Baguio City all over again, and back to the same result.

"Masyado matangkad (Too tall)," the explosive Red Bull mentor was quoted as saying after the measurement.

Shannon, 23, flew in three days ago after Hancock, 31, tested positive for marijuana use in a drug test arranged by FedEx on its own.

Hancock, however, is still in the country and is, in fact, still eligible to play for FedEx owing to the 45-day grace period allowed by the PBA in such cases involving imports.

Shannon is listed as 6-8 in the record books and is quite skinny at 190 lbs. He last played in the National Basketball Development League in the US where he normed 14.7 points and 5.6 rebounds.

Red Bull and FedEx square off at 5:15 p.m. today at the Eastern College Gym in the country’s summer capital, which offers a chilly weather to its visitors.

It will be the first time in league history that an opening game of any conference will be held outside of Metro Manila as the PBA tries to recover from a disappointing crowd attendance in the recent Invitational Cup.

The Reinforced Conference, a title last disputed in the 1989 and part of San Miguel Beer’s grand slam, will hit Manila tomorrow with games pitting Shell against Talk N Text and San Miguel against Ginebra at the Cuneta Astrodome.