Meralco targets first title in 3 years

MANILA, Philippines—Meralco hopes to nail its first PBA title in three years, a tough task for a team without a franchise player.   But that doesn’t mean that the country’s biggest electric company, which bought the Sta. Lucia franchise and inherited its roster, isn’t going to make life difficult for the rest of the teams in the league.   “We want to make waves in our first two seasons and at the three-year mark, a championship will make us very happy,” said Meralco SVP Ramon Segismundo at the PSA Forum at the Shakey’s UN Avenue Tuesday. “It will be a milestone for us.”   Segismundo was joined in the forum, sponsored by Shakey’s, Pagcor, Accel, and Outlast Battery, by Meralco senior manager Mandy Padua.   Three-time PBA champion coach Ryan Gregorio hopes to instill a never-say-die mentality in the team, which will be led by sophomore guard Chris Ross, Nelbert Omolon and veteran center Marlou Aquino.   “It won’t happen overnight,” Gregorio said. “But the target is always to win, win constantly and then win the championship. What we like is a chance to make sure the foundation is solid.”   Gregorio said there is still a need for them to have a go-to guy, though he doubts if he could get that in the PBA Draft late this month.   Meralco is hoping to land University of the East’s Elmer Espiritu in the rookie draft, with Gregorio saying that the sought-after Ateneo duo of Rabeh Al-Husseini and Nonoy Baclao already gone by the time it’s their turn to pick.