Meralco import Arinze Onuaku. PBA IMAGES
Jet lagged and all, Arinze Onuaku still found a way to carry Meralco in its conference-opener against Star.
Arriving in the country Wednesday midnight, the Syracuse alumnus managed to show what he could do: dominate.
Registering a huge double-double of 25 points, 22 rebounds, and three assists, Onuaku even nailed the game-sealing baby hook to secure the 90-86 victory over the Hotshots.
Onuaku admitted needing to fight off the effects of his long journey
“I’m just trying to push through. That’s all it was. I’m hurting but I just tried to get it done.”
Without any time to practice with his new teammates, all the 6-foot-9 slotman had was a few pointers from coach Norman Black two hours before gametime as the Grand Slam-winning coach orchestrated his plays at the half-courts inside Smart Araneta Coliseum parking lot.
“He put in three plays. When I was on the floor, we tried to keep the basics and that’s what we did,” he said.”It’s very tough. I’m very much playing in China: you figure it out as the game goes.”
But that proved to be good enough as the Bolts got off to a good start, already matching their dismal 1-10 record last conference.
Onuaku also praised his new teammates for helping him through, the same way he is hoping to do this 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
“The guys came through and made some big shots and big plays that helped us out,” he said. “It’s good. I’m just trying to change the morale of the team so that everybody could be positive and be happy, be excited about playing. I just told them be aggressive, play with confidence, and I got their back on defense.”
“We just got to keep pushing.”