PBA opens today

Thursday, February 9, 2012

MANILA--B-MEG Derby Ace faces Meralco while Alaska meets Barako Bull in the opening of the import-laden 37th PBA Commissioner’s Cup today at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Llamados, who traded veteran Kerby Raymundo to Ginebra in exchange for JC Intal , will collide with the Bolts at 7:30 p.m. following the Barako Bull and Alaska tussle at 5:15 p.m.

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With only the 6’3” forward Intal as newcomer, coach Tim Cone’s team is expected to go full throttle with the acquisition of 6’11” Denzel Bowles who will face off with Meralco 6’10 import Jelani McCoy.

The 21-year-old Bowles, a forward-center of James Madison University, averaged 20 points a game and established himself as a force to inside the paint in the Colonial Athletic Association.

The 34-year-old McCoy is a power-forward NBA veteran, who played with the Seattle SuperSonics, Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets.

Meralco likewise will have new faces in Paul Artadi, who is reunited with coach Ryan Gregorio. Artadi was acquired from Barako Bull in exchange for Chico Lañete. The 5’9” guard Artadi, an 11th overall pick by Purefoods in 2004, was part of B-Meg’s team that won two championships under Gregorio.

Alaska enlisted the comebacking Adam Parada, a 6’11 center who led Red Bull to the semifinals in the 2008 Fiesta Conference. He will be pitted against Barako Bull’s 6’10” DerMarr Jonhson, a former NBA player and a sixth overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in 2000.

He was sidelined in 2002 due to a vehicular accident but came back in 2003 and played with the Phoenix Suns, New Yorks Knicks, Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs.

Other imports in the season’s second conference are naturalized Filipino 6’11” Marcus Douthit of Air21 Express, the comebacking 6’9” Chris Alexander of Ginebra, 6’10” Nick Fazekas of Petron Blaze, 6’11 Dwayne Jones of Powerade, 6’11” Jake Voskuhl of Rain or Shine and 6’11” Omar Samhan of defending titlist Talk ‘N Text.