For Shell, this means sending practically a platoon to the United States to scour for the right import that could salvage its campaign in the Samsung PBA Governors Cup.
Thus, don’t think the Turbo Chargers have given up the fight if you see coach Perry Ronquillo without his major support staff as they clash with the Talk N Text Phone Pals at the resumption of the tournament at the Araneta Coliseum today.
Though now badly battered and miring in the cellar, the Turbo Chargers are not yet about to raise the white flag. In fact, no less than team manager Bobby Villarosa spearheaded a scouting mission to the United States with hopes of finding the import that could save the team from the pits. Villarosa is still in the US together with assistant coaches Joey Guanio and Jig Mendoza.
"Hindi na pwedeng iasa sa agent, so sabi ko kina Joey at Jig kayo na ang pumunta sa States," said Ronquillo, whose Turbo Chargers are on the brink of elimination with only one win to show in seven outings.
Bu Willingham plays probably his last game as Shell tangles with Talk N Text at 4 p.m. today at the Big Dome. Barangay Ginebra, which is having the same predicament as Shell, goes up against San Miguel Beer at 6 p.m.
"We’re really struggling but you can bet we’ll be there fighting hard in our last four games," said Ronquillo.
Against Talk N Text, Ronquillo expects problems to come from his former player Vic Pablo and imports Jerald Honeycutt and Richie Frahm. He said: "Kapang-kapa na ni Vic ang laro niya at si Honeycutt at Frahm naman, ang gandang kombinasyon."
Curiously, Shell is coming off five straight losses and Talk N Text five successive victories.
Riding the momentum of a big win the last time out going into today’s Easter Sunday double-header is San Miguel Beer, which walloped Red Bull, 89-67, on March 22. San Miguel has won three of its last four games.
Meanwhile, Alaska Milk parades its new import, James Head, as it goes up against Sta. Lucia Realty Tuesday at the Philsports Arena.
A product of Eastern Michigan, Head, 26, is fresh from a stint with the Flint Fuze in the CBA, ending up as the league’s fifth best rebounder with an average of 8.3 rebounds a game.
Listed as a 6-foot-7 forward, Head had earlier stints in the CBA with the Idaho Stampede and the Fargo Moorehead Beez and joined the Canada GT Express in a tour against top US collegiate teams last year.