Aces, E-Painters to bring in tested imports

MANILA, Philippines - In the heat of their Final Four duel in the PBA Philippine Cup, Alaska Milk and Rain or Shine are priming up for the second conference wars, both trying to lure back old, tested imports in Rob Dozier and Wayne Chism, respectively.

“We’ve yet to formalize things so I would say it’s only 85-percent Rob would be back for another stint with us,” said Alaska team manager Dickie Bachmann.

“He’s under contract in Dubai but he has asked for his release, and his local and US agents are saying chances are he would be released peacefully,” Bachmann also said.

The Alaska management is hoping Dozier, the import that led the Aces to the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup championship, can come over by Jan. 7.

He returned to play for Alaska last year but the Aces failed to defend the crown won by the San Mig Coffee Mixers.

The Elasto Painters, meanwhile, are after Chism, a versatile frontline player who helped RoS to a semifinal finish in the second conference last year.

“We’re waiting for his availability,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.

Meanwhile, Globalport team manager BJ Manalo said the Batang Pier are now looking at two prospects in Derrick Caracter and Hakin Warrick.

Caracter is a former Los Angeles Laker while Warrick is an eight-year NBA veteran with stints with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Chicago Bulls, the Phoenix Sun, the New Orleans Hornets and the Charlotte Bobcats.

Warrick boasts of impressive credentials, including being a member of the Syracuse team that won the 2003 NCAA championship, Big East Player of the Year in 2005 and an All-American first team in the same year.

He played four seasons with the Grizzlies after being drafted at No. 19 overall by the same team in the 2005 NBA Draft.

Dozier and Chism have no NBA experience to speak of but the Aces and the E-Painters would rather pin their hopes on their former imports.

Dozier, who made the US NCAA finals in 2008 with the Memphis Tigers team that included future NBA players Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Robert and Joey Dorsey, powered the Aces to a three-game sweep of Vernon Macklin and the Ginebra Kings in the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup finale. And he went home with the Best Import award.   

On the other hand, Chism, as a replacement import to Alexander McLean, reached the Final Four in his first PBA tour of duty with Rain or Shine last year.

Chism handed Rain or Shine five wins against two losses before they were swept by Talk n Text, 3-0, in their best-of-five semis showdown.