MERALCO’S four losses in the finals to Ginebra in the past could easily be attributed to its lack of able big man to backstop center Raymond Almazan or the Bolts’ other centers before him.
More than 2,000 miles away in Australia, 6-foot-8 Fil-Australian Brandon Bates opted to work as a barista after an uneventful stint with La Salle in the UAAP.
But Bates later returned to the Philippines and tried his luck anew–first in the PBA 3×3 meet and was later tabbed eighth overall by the Bolts in last year’s rookie Draft.
The Manny V. Pangilinan-owned franchise took a big gamble on Bates. Nearly one year later, that faith was rewarded when he provided the much-needed additional power for Meralco.
Bolts consultant Norman Black, a premier big man in his heydays, said that Bates proved his worth in Meralco’s 4-2 Big Dance triumph over favored San Miguel Beer in the Philippine Cup.
“Let’s face it. Brandon, he did things that we didn’t think he could do in this series,” Black said. “He really played very, very well for us. He has a bright future ahead of him.”
Bates, along with Almazan, Norbert Torres, and Kyle Pascual tag-teamed in making life a living hell for Beermen star and reigning seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo in the title series.
Black, who called the shots for Meralco from 2014 until last year when the reins were given to erstwhile assistant coach Luigi Trillo and active consultant Nenad Vucinic, was elated no end as the Bolts finally hit pay dirt.
“It’s finally nice to give a championship to Meralco. I’m really happy for the players, especially those who’ve been here for a long time,” Black said. “I think I’ve been around for 10, 11 years already.
“The guys that were here when I got here were (Reynel Hugnatan, now assistant coach), (Cliff) Hodge, Anjo Caram, and (Chris) Newsome. I’m happy for the management, the bosses, the employees who have stuck by us all these years.”
