Westports Malaysia Dragons. Photo from Asean Basketball League Facebook.
Fans of Matthew Wright and Jason Brickman will have to wait a little bit longer to see them in action in the Philippines as the Fil-foreign studs opted to forego a chance to play this upcoming PBA D-League conference.
Blustar Detergent coach Ariel Vanguardia said that the Fil-Canadian Wright, last season’s ABL Finals MVP, and Fil-Am Brickman are both considering stints in Europe.
“Yes, di na sila makakalaro. They are mulling offers to play in Europe,” he said.
Without the reinforcements who helped Westports Malaysia Dragons win the 2015 ABL championship,
Vanguardia sought help from Blackwater, which will lend two players for his team for the 2016 Foundation Cup set to start on June 2.
“We’ll get two players from Blackwater instead,” the affable mentor said.
Blackwater team manager Johnson Martines said that the Elite have yet to decide which players will be lent to Blustar.
“We will discuss pa sa mga coaches and maybe, sa Malaysia pa namin yan pagusapan,” he said.
Newly acquired guard Roi Sumang is one of those who could join the Dragons in the developmental league.
The Elite acquired the former UE Red Warrior from a three-team trade with Globalport and Mahindra. The PBA rookie recently saw action for Blustar Detergent in a tuneup game against the SEABA Cup-bound Gilas cadets last week.
Regardless of who he gets, Vanguardia will still bank on his Malaysian core, led by Loh Shee Fai and Mah Chee Kheun.
He hopes this line-up will be enough to contend in what is seen as a lean race to the championship this conference.
“It will be tough, but our number one goal is to develop the Malaysian locals for this D-League stint,” he said. “Hopefully, we can offer a different kind of play and give the D-League teams a scare.”