Sporting Chance

Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao can't wait for the Energizers' direct-hire Fil-foreigner Michael (Mick) Pennisi to suit up in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) All-Filipino Cup.

Guiao expects Pennisi to be issued a Certificate of Recognition (CR) by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) any day now. The 6-9, 230-pound Pennisi, 24, was born in Innisfall, Queensland, Australia, to an Italian father and an Ilocana mother. The Philippine Embassy in Australia has confirmed Pennisi's Filipino roots.

The BI actually allowed Pennisi to play, pending the release of his CR. But the PBA Board of Governors decided to freeze Pennisi until the CR is issued to avoid setting a precedent.

Guiao's other Fil-foreigner DaVonn Harp filed his application for a CR when he was still playing in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL). So the BI had enough time to process his application. Harp got his CR before the PBA opened last Sunday.

Harp was among six players whom Red Bull elevated from the PBL ranks as a concession from the PBA Board to an expansion franchise. The others were Jimwell Torion, Junthy Valenzuela, Bernard Tanpua, Lordy Tugade and Kerby Raymundo.

From the expansion draft, Guiao picked up veterans Ato Agustin from Sta. Lucia Realty, Glenn Capacio from Mobiline, Cris Bolado from San Miguel Beer and Edmund Reyes from Purefoods. Another draftee Mar Morelos of Pop Cola was waived.

Guiao's roster also lists rookie draft pick Ogie Gumatay and sophomore Roel Buenaventura who came in via a trade from Alaska.

With Pennisi in harness, Guiao says Red Bull will be taller and tougher. Imagine a frontline made up of Harp at center, Raymundo at power forward, and Pennisi at the three-spot. That was, in fact, the frontline Guiao used to beat Shell and Mobiline in preseason practice games.

Harp was atrocious from the foul line -- hitting 1-of-8 -- against Barangay Ginebra last Sunday. But Guiao says he'll get over the jitters. Guiao insists Harp isn't strictly an inside scorer. "At practice, we encourage DaVonn to take 12 to 15-footers and he knocks them down," says Guiao who's coming off a 3-year coaching layoff and a successful stint as PBL Commissioner to return to the PBA. "DaVonn rarely takes a bad shot -- that's why he'd rather shoot from close range. He's very conscious of his shot selection -- pinagmamalaki niya ang kanyang accuracy."

In 1998-99, Harp led the entire NCAA Division II in field goal markmanship, converting 140-of-205 shots for a 68.3 percent clip in 27 games for Kutztown State. Apparently, high percentage shooting is a Harp trademark.

Pennisi averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Burdekin Wildcats in the Australian minor league in 1994 before enrolling at Eastern Michigan, an NCAA Division I school. He played three years for the Eagles varsity and faced the likes of ex-Alaska import Devin Davis in the formidable Mid-American Conference. A teammate was 5-5 guard Earl Boykins, now playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

As an Eastern Michigan freshman in 1994-95, Pennisi averaged 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds and shot 64 percent from the floor. The next season, he gained a reputation as a hard-nosed, physical defender-averaging a foul every 4.3 minutes, a high incidence considering he logged only about nine minutes a game. In the first round of the NCAA playoffs that year, Pennisi played 18 minutes and drove Duke's Greg Newton crazy with his bump-and-grind style as the Eagles upset the Blue Devils, 75-60.

"It's fun when it's physical," said Pennisi, quoted in the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.

In 1996-97, Pennisi started in 23 of 32 games, averaging four points, two rebounds and 15.9 minutes. He shot 49.5 percent from the field, buried 6-of-13 treys, blocked 10 shots, dished off 23 assists, and had 12 steals. Not bad stats for a big center with the ability to step outside and fire the triple.

A workhorse, Pennisi played in the Australian majors during the NCAA offseason. It was his way of keeping in shape. As a rookie in the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1995, he averaged 1.5 points in nine games for the Townsville Suns. And last year, he hit at a 2.3 clip in 16 outings for Townsville, renamed the Crocodiles. Pennisi ended a 5-year stint in the NBL to play here.

Incidentally, Pennisi's younger brother David, 21, plays for the Crocodiles. He's 6-9, too. David, a 1997 NBL Rookie of the Year runner-up, has a long-term contract to play for Townsville so it doesn't look like he'll be playing here in the near future. In time, the Pennisis could be the Fil-Australian version of the Seigles in the PBA.

Guiao says Red Bull team owner George Chua was contacted by an agent offering Pennisi's services as a Fil-foreigner. "Mick's been in town three weeks," adds Guiao. "He can play inside and outside. Because of his size, he creates a lot of mismatches at the post. He'll definitely help us."

Pennisi didn't show up for the PBA opening rites at the Big Dome last Sunday and watched the inaugurals on TV in the Greenhills condo unit he shares with Harp.

"Mick felt really bad he couldn't play against Ginebra," explains Guiao. "He told me if he had gone to the coliseum, he would've felt worse. So he decided to stay home."

You wonder what would've been the outcome if Pennisi played.