MACAU—With his last stint cut short, Alex Stepheson is hoping to still get a chance to settle unfinished business in the PBA.
The 6-foot-10 big man was outstanding last conference, putting up monster numbers of 22.2 points, 22 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in just six games before stomach ailment prevented Stepheson from completing the conference.
The amiable big man, who served as the Elite’s foreign players in the East Asia Super League: The Terrific 12 here, is definitely looking at another run at the job.
“I really hope so, if they really want me then I’m going to be there,” said Stepheson after Blackwater’s 109-69 loss to Chiba. “I feel like we have unfinished business and when I left we were winning and I felt we had a chance to win the championship.”
The Elite had their best start in franchise history at 5-1 during Stepheson’s stay but his absence was sorely missed as Blackwater went 2-3 the final five games of the eliminations.
Although Blackwater held the better seeding over Rain or Shine in the quarterfinals at 3-6, the Elite couldn’t match up with the Elasto Painters’ experience losing in the series 2-1.
“I got sick and I had to go home and I felt really bad leaving the team behind especially with the winning that we were doing,” said Stepheson.
Stepheson reunited with Elite for just two games in the invitational tournament where hey lost both their assignments in the group stage.
“I felt like we had something special and when I came back for this tournament and re-connected with them, I honestly felt like I never left,” said Stepheson. “We were like family again, I could be gone for three years and come back. It would be like nothing happened.”