Meralco to unleash Barron on Powerade

MANILA, Philippines - Fresh from playing with the Golden State Warriors, seven-foot Earl Barron is good to go for Meralco in his PBA return against Powerade at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday and Bolts coach Ryan Gregorio said yesterday he’s confident of making it to the top six of the Commissioner’s Cup eliminations with the much-sought-after import in harness.

Barron, 30, played for Miami, New York, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Portland and Golden State in a six-year NBA career. In 2005, he suited up for Red Bull in the PBA Fiesta Conference as Dalron Johnson’s replacement and averaged 26.9 points, 15.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots in 14 games. Barron shot .805 from the line and led Red Bull to an 8-6 record. From the PBA, Barron jumped into the NBA where in his first three seasons with the Heat, he earned more than $2 Million.

Meralco opened the conference with Jarrid Famous, picking up a win in three outings. When Barron became available, Gregorio didn’t hesitate to sign him up. Barron was in the wish list of at least three other PBA clubs. He planed in early this week. Famous is scheduled to leave tomorrow but may be back if a rumored offer from an ABL team comes through.

“Earl is pretty impressive in practice,” said Gregorio. “His offensive skills are really polished. He runs the floor very well, very quick for a legit 7-footer. He has a smooth touch from the perimeter and his back-to-the-basket skills have improved tremendously. He was just battling jet lag and adjusting to the heat the other day. I believe he’ll be ready to play on Sunday. I’m sure his maturity combined with his experience in the highest level of basketball will be a big boost to our young franchise.”

Gregorio said he couldn’t ask anything more from Famous. “Jarrid was professional enough to stay a little longer and practiced with us the past three days,” noted Gregorio. “He understood the situation and was willing to help in whatever way. He’s a consummate gentleman, he’s not a bad import. He contributed well for us. However, at this point, we need somebody who can be an anchor in our half-court execution.”

Gregorio said Meralco’s shaky start was almost expected. “It was a tough first week schedule for us,” he went on. “We battled the top three teams in the league in seven days. We lost to B-Meg by three, won over Petron by 22 and lost to defending champion Talk ‘N’ Text in overtime. Even with a 1-2 slate, we are upbeat about our chances in the coming games because of the way we played the tournament favorites. With six games left and the format of the tournament, every victory counts. It is also important to play with a complete arsenal, with the heads-up play of (Mac-Mac) Cardona, game control of (Chris) Ross, solid performance of (Mark) Borboran and the addition of (Sol) Mercado and Barron. I’m confident that we can compete to be able to find ways to make it to the top six.”

Mercado hasn’t played since the start of the conference, recovering from an offseason minor procedure in the knee. But he resumed practice yesterday. “Sol will definitely be a welcome addition for us, especially because of our shallow bench rotation,” said Gregorio. “I’ll see if he’s ready by Sunday. If he is, we can keep in step with Powerade’s quickness.”

Ross’ emergence as a stabilizer in the backcourt has been a major plus. In the loss to Talk ‘N’ Text, Ross delivered 19 points, six rebounds, 13 assists and five steals in 44 minutes. “Chris is really coming along very well,” said Gregorio. “He’s improving in all aspects of his game. Before, he was just known to be a fastbreak starter and penetration finisher. But now, he has added another dimension which is perimeter shooting. With his quickness and vision, I’m sure, in time, he’ll be one of the most stable guards in the PBA. Paul (Artadi) understands his role coming off the bench and he’s playing it well.”

Barron played four years with the University of Memphis varsity. As a junior in 2001-02, he shot 9-of-9 from the field in the first half and wound up with 25 points to power Memphis over South Carolina for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) crown under coach John Calipari. A high school tennis player, Barron gradually bulked up from 195 pounds as a Memphis freshman to 260 when he left the campus four years later.

“Earl’s a quietly driven player,” said Calipari. “He has terrific hands for a big guy. He can shoot the ball, make free throws. Definitely, he’s a very good shot blocker who is also the best on the team at drawing charges.” Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook writer Zack McMillin said he is “nimble on either foot and has dexterity with both hands, best on the right block where the only way to stop him is to literally shove him either as he is catching the ball or shooting it.” McMillin added that Barron shoots three-pointers like Lithuanian legend Arvydas Sabonis used to, can jump rope like a welterweight and has a soft touch and a shooter’s eye with a big man’s mentality. In 2001, Barron played on the US squad that took the bronze medal at the World University Games in Benjin, China.