Fantastic foreign finds

(Third of a four-part series)

Three weeks into the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Reinforced Conference, not a few teams have already begun the inevitable. Red Bull and Alaska have already brought in substitutes to help bolster their campaigns. And other squads are reportedly soon to follow suit.

But while these ballclubs choose to ship out their first-choice imports in the hope of finding replacements better suited to their system, three teams: Barangay Ginebra, FedEx and Talk n Text have so far shown their satisfaction, if not their delight over their foreign finds. These three imports have shown a certain degree of resiliency in their gameplay that has allowed them to survive the exodus currently occurring among the imports in the league.

Ricky Price of the Kings has surprised many by lasting this long. Allegedly the least heralded of the present crop, this third Duke University Blue Devil in the batch has helped Barangay Ginebra achieve a 3-0 start, a feat that has eluded the Kings for sometime now. Although that streak ended recently after losing to FedEx, 103-92, it was more the absence of stalwart Eric Menk rather than the presence of Price that dealt the Kings their first loss.

Even though this is his first-time in Manila, 27-year-old Price is no greenhorn in the international basketball circuit, having had stints in Germany, Slovenia, Hungary, the Netherlands, France, Lebanon, Venezuela and Hong Kong.

He had a remarkable high school career that got US scouts raving about his potential. But he wasn’t able to carry his excellent game through college. One glaring reason: Injuries. His first and third years at Duke represented the lowest scoring average in his college career due to ankle and wrist problems, respectively. He showed slow recovery powers and was therefore overlooked in many professional scouting reports.

His is absolutely not the best credentials among the imports in the league. But coach Allan Caidic went for him anyway, seeing something that was either ignored or unnoticed by the others. And so far, he has not let the guys down. He may very well be the answer to the Barangay’s problems. And with Menk out of the lineup for reportedly two weeks, Price now has the chance to stamp out whatever doubts cynics may still have regarding his ability to lead the Kings to the throne.

This week is definitely going to be Price’s acid test. And the crowd will be watching very closely.

The youngest among the imports, 23-year-old Terrance Shannon was a late substitute for Darrin Hancock of the FedEx squad, arriving just a few days before his team’s opener in Baguio City against Red Bull Barako.

Listed officially at 6’4 15/16", Shannon has shown not only skills but also leadership qualities. Although this Elgin Community College (IL) force is only in his first stint across the Pacific Ocean, (having only played briefly in the Netherlands), he has so far displayed maturity in his game, great adaptability to the PBA brand of hoops; and has given the Express two victories so far this conference. His Penny Hardaway looks have earned him a following. But it’s his high-flying, slam-dunking act that has endeared him more to the experts as a future star in this side of town.

It remains to be seen, however, how well he can adjust to a new system under the new Express coach, Boni Garcia.

Damian Cantrell has almost everyone’s vote for Best Import if the balloting were done today. The only Caucasian recruit plays for Talk n’ Text and the Pangilinan franchise couldn’t be happier with his acquisition. Coming from a long tradition of excellence at the University of San Francisco (the same school that produced the likes of Hall-of-Famers Bill Russell and KC Jones), Cantrell quickly blended with the young nucleus of the Phonepals en route to three straight wins after an opening day loss to the Shell Turbochargers.

Along the way, Cantrell picked up a PBA season high 52 points in their come from behind victory over FedEx, the highest output in the league since a 60-point performance in 2001 by then Shell import Askia Jones. Cantrell’s record also eclipsed teammate Asi Taulava’s 49 points against Yonsei University in the recently concluded Invitationals. Although obviously an offensive threat, Cantrell’s scoring has not hampered the efforts of Taulava, Jimmy Alapag and company in getting their usual numbers. His presence has just made the team a whole lot better. No flashiness. No frills. He only delivers what the team needs to get the "W".

Talk n Text coaching consultant Maz Trakh had a lot to say about how the team has shaped up. "This is a bunch of talented guys to begin with. Add to the mix a guy like Damian, and we got us a winning formula."

PBA radio anchor, Noel Zarate once commented, "Cantrell has shown a depth of intelligence in positioning himself where the team needs him. If Taulava is in a bind he’ll take the 3-pointer on a pass from Alapag. If Taulava sits or plays the long court, he’ll post up and score underneath."

That’s a gem of an import for you. He’ll grab the boards. He’ll seal the defender. He has proven not occasionally that he can sacrifice his body for the possession. At the rate he’s going, only a massive injury will ship Damian Cantrell out of the Phonepals’ roster.

But then again, it ain’t over till the fat lady sings.

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