MANILA, Philippines—Raymond Almazan dealt with a calf injury in his first conference with Meralco in the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup.
But now back in full health, Almazan hopes to finally show why he is just what the Bolts are looking for as their man in the middle.
“Physically and mentally, I’m 100 percent ready. I’m 100 percent healthy now,” he told INQUIRER.net in Filipino Saturday.
“I’m willing to do whatever the coaches want me to do and whatever role they want me to play even if it’s not a starring role. It’s been so long since I’ve been to at least the semifinals and I want to help this team make it far.”
He showed just that when he led a shorthanded Meralco side in a tune-up game against Korean team Jeonju Kcc Egis at Meralco Gym.
Without Allen Durham, Almazan held the fort down low finishing with a team-high 15 points while also serving as the anchor on the defensive end. His efforts helped the Bolts settle for a tie against a squad with two imports.
“Almazan being with us for the second conference and now being healthy will really be a big help for us,” said Meralco head coach Norman Black.
“He played well today. He’s a big guy and we need a young big guy so he’s gonna be a big help for us in the rebound category and also the shot blocks and being able to defend the paint,” he added.
And it’s only going to get better from here for Almazan.
The former Letran standout just arrived from a stint with the Philippine team in the 2019 Fiba World Cup in China last Tuesday. He has just rejoined Meralco in practice on Thursday.
He only had a one-day break since he returned but rest can wait.
“I learned a lot from my experience i the World Cup and I want to apply all of that to help my team this coming conference.”