PBA Season 43 Preview: Small Meralco ready for giants of PH Cup

Head Coach: Norman Black
Key Players: Chris Newsome, Jared Dillinger, Cliff Hodge, Ranidel De Ocampo, Baser Amer
Key Additions: Niño Cañaleta, Mac Baracael
Key Losses: Kelly Nabong

For the better part of two years, Meralco has been a constant visitor in the title rounds of the PBA.

Just not in the Philippine Cup.

It’s been two years since the Bolts joined the dance for the big trophy of the All-Filipino Conference, and although the men in orange have been solid in the import cups the same cannot be said for the first tournament.

And the reason for that is the team’s lack of dominating big man in the post.

“We haven’t done well in the past two All-Filipino conferences, so we have to be a lot more competitive this time around,” said Bolts head coach Norman Black. “We just have to play it out and see what happens.”

Meralco racked up a combined record of 30-14 in the four import cups, including two appearances in the Governors’ Cup Finals, but only came away with a combined 4-18 in the Philippine Cup.

And the Bolts’ big man conundrum will immediately bite them at the start of the season as Ranidel De Ocampo is still nursing a calf injury he sustained in the Governors’ Cup Finals.

Still, Black probably believes that it’s not the size of the dog but the size of the fight in the dog.

“My small guys are competitive, even our big guys are competitive so I’m not taking anything from them,” said Black who will rely on newly acquired Jason Ballesteros and Bryan Faundo to play the center spot.

What Meralco does have is a plethora of talented wingmen who can play both the three and four positions in Jared Dillinger, Cliff Hodge, and Chris Newsome.

The Bolts also added Niño Cañaleta and Mac Baracael to supplement the core wings.