Welcome back, Kouame

Kakou (Ange) Kouame made an auspicious return to local shores as the Gilas naturalized player collected nine points and nine rebounds to deliver a solid back-up performance in Meralco’s 97-85 win over the Macau Black Bears on EASL’s season inaugural doubleheader at the MOA Arena last Wednesday.

Kouame, 26, powered Ateneo to three UAAP championships and was on the Philippine squad that struck gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023. After the Asiad, the Ivory Coast native saw action for Chartres Basket Masculins in France where he averaged 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds in 27 games. Then, he suited up for Strong Group Athletics in his third Jones Cup stint in Taiwan, anchoring the middle as the team went unbeaten.

Under EASL rules, a team may enlist a naturalized or Asian heritage player aside from two imports so Meralco signed up Kouame along with Allen Durham and DJ Kennedy. Against the Black Bears, the Bolts led 80 percent of the way and went up by 19 before notching their first win of EASL’s second home-and-away season.

“Very good win for the PBA in EASL,” said Meralco PBA governor Atty. Bill Pamintuan. “Hoping to continue the wins and get redemption for our not-so-good showing in the past campaigns of PBA teams in EASL.” Last season, Meralco failed to make the Final Four, posting a 1-5 record to finish in the cellar of Group B.

Meralco coach Luigi Trillo said the Bolts’ next two games will be a big test. Meralco takes on Japan B-League runner-up Ryukyu in Okinawa on Oct. 16 and Korean Basketball League champion Busan KCC Egis at the PhilSports Arena on Nov. 13. “We have to get one of those next two games to really have a go for the playoffs,” he said. “We have enough pieces to compete now. Hopefully, we get to be in full force by the Busan game. Allein (Maliksi), CJ (Cansino) and Aaron (Black) will have opportunities to make the roster if they show in practice they can contribute.” Unlike in the PBA where teams may play up to 16, EASL limits a roster to 12 so teams use a shorter rotation.

“The goal now is to integrate DJ and Ange to playing the next months with our team,” continued Trillo. “Getting to know our rotations and make them comfortable playing together with the whole team. I don’t think DJ and Ange are still in game shape. That was the first official game they had in a while. Ange is very excited and his impact was evident in that opening game as he had the highest plus-minus (24) in 17 minutes. He’ll only get better. I told the team we’re in a wonderful opportunity as it’s not only Meralco’s name and our family that we’re playing for. We’re representing our country and the PBA. We have a big responsibility.”

Trouncing Macau wasn’t easy. The Black Bears showed up with 6-11 naturalized player Will Artino of Creighton University, imports 7-6 Sam Deguara and 6-7 Jeantal Cylla, 5-8 US-born spitfire Damian Chongqui and 6-foot Laguna-born, Brent graduate Jenning Leung. Deguara, 32, is from Malta and at 16, signed a nine-year contract with Benetton Treviso of the Italian league. The giant played for Alab Pilipinas in the ABL in 2019 and has barnstormed Spain, Canada, Lithuania, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Hong Kong and Chile in his basketball journey.