EASL action shifts to the PhilSports Arena tonight as PBA champion teams San Miguel Beer and Meralco take on separate opponents in a twinbill that’s a double treat for fans. In the 6:10 p.m. curtain raiser, the Beermen face the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots of Taiwan and in the 8:10 p.m. nightcap, the Bolts battle the Busan KCC Egis of Korea.
Imports EJ Anosike and Quincy Miller will spearhead San Miguel’s bid for a first win after dropping an 87-81 decision to Suwon KT Sonicboom in the season opener at the MOA Arena last Oct. 2. Meralco will unveil Akil Mitchell as Allen Durham’s replacement to combine with DJ Kennedy and naturalized player Ange Koume in tackling Busan. The Bolts are 1-1 and the Egis, 0-1 so far this campaign.
Mitchell arrived last Friday and has been working out with Meralco. He was signed up after Durham decided to retire, ending his career with an appearance for Meralco against his previous Japan B-League team Ryukyu Golden Kings in Okinawa last Oct. 16. The 6-9 forward played four years at the University of Virginia, saw action in the NBA Summer League with Houston, Brooklyn and New York and barnstormed France, Australia, Italy, Israel, Turkey, Germany, Greece, Puerto Rico and China as a basketball globetrotter. His single-game career highs include 32 points, 20 rebounds, eight assists, six steals, four blocks and three triples.
Meralco coach Luigi Trillo said Mitchell’s motor is like that of La Salle’s Mike Phillips and Cliff Hodge. “Our team is capable and I think Akil is going to help us,” he said. “Akil works hard, he knows how to position. He’s 32 and he has experience. Two of our floor spacers, Allein (Maliksi) and CJ (Cansino), are still out but we have enough around to perform. AB (Aaron Black) may be included in our lineup but he’s still questionable as he just started 5-on-5 the other day. He’s a possibility. Cliff is focusing on a family emergency and it’s a day-to-day decision whether he plays or not.”
The Pilots beat Suwon, 91-70, in their first game with Treveon Graham scoring 32 points, Alec Brown 25 and Pai Yao Cheng 16. Brown, 32, is a 7-1 center who was the Phoenix Suns’ second-round pick in the 2014 NBA draft and has played in Spain, Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Puerto Rico and Taiwan. Graham, 31, is a 6-6 forward from Virginia Commonwealth University and suited up for Charlotte, Brooklyn, Minnesota and Atlanta in four NBA seasons, averaging 4.2 points in 180 games, including 44 starts. Cheng, 25, is a 6-1 Taiwan national player who’s in his third straight year with the Pilots.
The Egis are coming off a 111-97 setback to Macau last week and coach Chang Jin Chun intends to deal Meralco a second straight loss. Against Macau, Busan was led by NBA veteran Deonte Burton, 10-year Korean league journeyman Leon Williams, Mongolian Lee Geunwhi and Korean legend Hur Jae’s son, 6-foot guard Heo Ung. Burton, 30, sizzled for 35 points against Macau and dished off 11 assists. Williams, 38, is a 6-8 workhorse who will be a handful for the Bolts under the boards. Busan’s lineup includes four Korean national players 6-7 Seoung Hyun Lee, Heo, 6-5 Jun Beom Joon and 6-7 Choi Jun Yong.
Each team plays six EASL regular season games within its group. San Miguel is in Group A with Suwon, Hiroshima, Hong Kong Eastern and Taoyuan while Meralco is in Group B with Macau, Ryukyu, New Taipei and Busan. The regular season ends Feb. 12 then the top two teams of each group advance to play in the Final Four starting March 7. The final is on March 9 with a $1 million first prize at stake.