US camp prepares Meralco Bolts to challenge title favorites

MANILA, Philippines -- Coach Norman Black felt Meralco is in a better position to challenge the elite PBA squads led by defending Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer next season following the Bolts’ busy off-season buildup.

After finishing with an even 21-21 win-loss record last season without a legitimate center, the Bolts got a big boost with the return of young big man Rabeh Al-Hussaini after a yearlong hiatus.

The Bolts also added Brian Faundo and Justin Chua to the mix, while selecting versatile Fil-American Chris Newsome and playmaker Baser Amer during the recent rookie draft.

Veteran playmaker Jimmy Alapag also came out of retirement to join Meralco after a three-team trade that also involved Blackwater and Talk ‘N Text.

But Black said it is one thing to be competitive, and another to be tagged as a tournament favorite.

“I think we have improved, but definitely, we’re not one of the favorites.  I don’t agree with that,” said Black, before leaving Manila on Wednesday to join Gilas Pilipinas in the ongoing Fiba-Asia men’s championships in Changsa, China.

Black serves as one of coach Tab Baldwin’s assistants.

“Other teams have strengthened their lineup during offseason like Talk ‘N Text. GlobalPort has strengthened themselves also. Other teams that are quite strong to begin with are San Miguel, Ginebra, Alaska, Rain or Shine and Purefoods (Star),” he added.

Black got a good gauge of his new-look ball club after engaging an NBA selection to two tight contests during their recent two-week training camp at the Impact Basketball of world-renowned American trainer Joe Abunassar in Las Vegas.

The 57-year-old Meralco coach said the Bolts managed to stay in the game for much of the way despite playing against the likes of NBA veterans like Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry, Marreese Speights, Keith Bogans and Marcus Thornton, before losing by slim margins.

“It (training camp) gave us an opportunity to bond as a team and also get in shape. But overall, I thought it was a success to go over there and train and workout for two weeks and play a couple of games against NBA players,” shared Black, who said Meralco lost both by just a combined margin of 10 points.

Black said the Bolts are ready to play several scrimmage games against other PBA teams in the next few weeks leading up the pro league’s 41st season, which opens on Oct. 18.