Mac Belo acquisition to boost Meralco frontcourt, says Black

Mac Belo is headed to Meralco. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—For Meralco head coach Norman Black, letting go of  Baser Amer and Bryan Faundo was not an easy decision but it was a call he needed to make to address the holes in the Bolts’ roster.

Both players were traded to Blackwater in exchange for versatile big Mac Belo in a deal that was approved Thursday.

For the past half decade, Meralco has appeared several times over in the playoffs and the finals, thanks partly to the contributions of Amer and Faundo.

But Black said acquiring the services of Belo addresses their issues in the frontcourt, where Meralco needs a boost.

“We recruited Belo because our frontcourt is one of the areas where we need depth. We welcome him to the team and look forward to seeing his impact on our team,” Black said through a statement post on Meralco’s Twitter account.

"I'm excited about the new challenge ahead. May liwanag ang buhay!" —@markbelo12 ⚡ #ChargeForward pic.twitter.com/ysq9C5tlYY

— Meralco Bolts (@MeralcoBolts) February 4, 2021

The veteran coach, nonetheless, thanked both Amer, who under Black blossomed into a reliable starter for the Bolts, and Faundo.

“I’ve been with Baser for a long time so it was difficult to come to this decision. He’s a valuable point guard and has been a big part of our team for the last five years. We are very, very thankful and grateful for his service,” said Black in a statement the Bolts posted on its official Twitter page.

TEAM STATEMENT: @pbaconnect has approved the trade between Meralco Bolts and Blackwater Elite involving Baser Amer, Bryan Faundo, and Mac Belo. As we prepare for the upcoming PBA season, our organization thanks Baser and Bryan for their valuable contributions to the team. [1/6] pic.twitter.com/pB3KLkLUEw

— Meralco Bolts (@MeralcoBolts) February 4, 2021

Amer had played for only Black so far in the PBA, arriving at Meralco as the seventh overall pick of the 2015 Draft. In the 2017-2018 season, he averaged 12.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while shooting 40.4 percent from deep.

“To gain something of value, you, unfortunately, must lose something of value as well,” said Black.

Faundo, meanwhile, was already a journeyman when he had his second stint with the Bolts playing for seven PBA teams from 2009 to 2015.

The 6-foot-6 Faundo proved his worth for the Bolts as a serviceable big man as he averaged 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in the 2020 Philippine Cup.

“As we prepare for the upcoming PBA season, our organization thanks Baser and Bryan for their valuable contributions to the team,” wrote Meralco in its statement.

“We believe this trade is beneficial to both teams, and will provide both players competitive environments to showcase their talents. As an organization, we remain committed to fair and exciting competition.”