All eyes on Bu, Dezi

Fans are in for a treat as two highly-touted imports make their debut on opposing teams in the nightcap of a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Samsung Governors Cup twinbill at the Cuneta Astrodome tomorrow night.

All eyes will be on Nantambu (Bu) Willingham and Desmond (Dezi) Ferguson, a pair of hired guns out to rescue their teams from sinking to the PBA cellar. Willingham planed in last Tuesday to replace former Sacramento Kings forward Derek Grimm who was unimpressive in three games for Shell. Ferguson arrived last night and is taking over injured Bubba Wells’ spot on the Ginebra squad.

Both Shell and Ginebra are struggling. In a Grimm development, the Turbochargers are off to a slow 1-2 start. Grimm is the convenient scapegoat–his scoring has dwindled from game to game, 16 to 13 to 12. Askia Jones deserves a more cooperative partner, an inside threat to leave the window open for Ski to snipe from outside. The 6-9, 255-pound Willingham–his first name Nantambu means "man of great destiny" – could be a perfect complement.

Meanwhile, the Kings are winless so far in three outings. Burly Jarrod Gee finally woke up in Ginebra’s last game against Sta. Lucia and delivered 29 points but Wells coughed up only two points before going down with a groin pull. Gee’s eruption wasn’t enough to stem the tide and the Realtors held on to win by three. Ferguson may be the answer to interim head coach Cris Calilan’s prayers. Gee’s an interior operator, like Willingham, and needs a partner, like Jones, who can bomb from the perimeter. Dezi fits the bill.

Willingham, 28, has made a living out of his wide body. In four years at the University of Connecticut, he averaged less than two points and less than 10 minutes a game. But Huskies varsity coach Jim Calhoun kept Bu in the lineup because of his "intangibles," wrote Mike DeCourcy. Calhoun described Bu as "an inspirational leader."

Despite his inconsequential statistics, Bu was widely scouted by hoop critics. Howie Dickenman said he has good footwork, is a hard worker, and makes things happen on the press. Michael Bradley noted that he is a tenacious offensive rebounder and has solid defensive instincts. Charlie Crème gushed at his big body but ridiculed his offense, commenting that he’s a "non-factor" in that aspect.

Although Willingham languished on the bench at Connecticut, he gained valuable experience playing with teammates like Scott Burrell, Donyell Marshall, Ray Allen, Travis Knight, and Kevin Ollie who all went on to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The knock on Bu is he’s not a survivor. He doesn’t stay too long in one place. Bu has played in several countries–Switzerland for Regensdorf, China for Guangdong, Lebanon for Al Sadaka, Puerto Rico for Villalba, and Argentina for Regatas San Nicola–but never for more than a year each. In 1998, he suited up in only two games for the Raleigh Cougars in the United States Basketball League (USBL). In 1998-99, he played six games for the Grand Rapids Hoops in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). Last season, he lasted just a game for Le Havre in the French league. Will Bu reverse the trend at Shell and stick around?

Bu was plucked out of the Southern California Surf in the ongoing American Basketball Association (ABA), where he averaged 13.1 points and 8.1 rebounds, to jump to the PBA.

Because of his name, Bu was once asked what destiny means to him. "The thing about destiny is that you don’t know exactly what your destiny is," he replied, quoted by Mike DeDoncker of the Rockford Register Star. "If you reach our destiny, do you know that’s your destiny? The final destiny is death. That’s one thing we’re all assured of, so it’s kind of a Catch-22 thing." Too bad, philosophizing doesn’t score points in basketball.

Maybe, Bu is destined to take the Turbochargers to the top of the PBA.

As for Dezi (his nickname is tattooed on his shoulder), the word is the 6-7, 210-pound swingman is a deadly outside rifleman–perhaps, like Ginebra’s head coach on-leave Allan Caidic. In three years playing for the University of Detroit, he shot close to 40 percent from three-point distance and over 80 percent from the stripe. Writer Bill Doherty said in his junior season, Dezi took 60 percent of his shots from beyond the three-point arc. "His shooting skills impressed NBA scouts at the Nike All-American camp where he was a counselor (in 1999)," added Doherty. "He moves well without the ball and runs through screens galore to free himself for open jumpers."

Ginebra team manager Ira Maniquis negotiated to bring Dezi here from the Flint Fuze in the CBA. Ferguson, 24, averaged 23.3 points to rank third in CBA scoring–ahead of No. 4 Jermaine Walker (22.6), now playing for FedEx, No. 5 Silas Mills (21.8), and No. 10 Terquin Mott (17.1). He shot a sizzling 43.2 percent from three-point distance and 78.1 percent from the line.

Who’ll blink and who won’t? Will Ski and Bu play beautiful music together? Will Gee and Dezi raise the roof for Ginebra? It should be some face-off tomorrow.