TNT to make decision on import as Fuller, Moore both on on board
MANILA, Philippines–TNT is dealing with the issue of having two imports on tap in the ongoing 2021 PBA Governors’ Cup.
Aaron Fuller suited up for the Tropang Giga in their 95-92 win over Rain or Shine on Sunday but McKenzie Moore had the import duties in the team’s first three games of the conference.
Article continues after this advertisementReyes said both players are with the team until they make a decision on which player to keep.
“Mac is still here. He’s on injured reserve essentially. That’s the situation right now, and we are going to stay with that until we get a chance to make a decision,” said Reyes Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“But right now we have both guys.”
Article continues after this advertisementThe Tropang Giga went 1-2 with Moore at the frontcourt and while it’s a subpar record for the Philippine Cup holders it was also due to the forward’s bum knee that limited his mobility.
Reyes added that the decision to choose Moore to start the conference was due to 29-year-old’s ability to play at the point while Fuller is more of an interior presence.
Nevertheless, TNT would stick with Fuller for the duration of Moore’s stay in the injury list.
Reyes also revealed that Fuller, who already had two stints with NLEX in in 2017 and 2018, was one of the Tropang Giga’s first choices for their foreign players this conference but the University of Southern California had prior commitments with Fuerza Regia de Monterrey in Mexico’s Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Professional.
“What prevented us from getting him in early in the first place was that he was still playing in Mexico until the end of November so he can’t come in early enough. And you know how difficult it is to get imports here with visa issues and documentary requirements,” said Reyes.