Meralco Bolts signs Aquino to one-year pact

MANILA, Philippines - Marlou Aquino, a 13-year PBA veteran turning 39 next month, isn’t yet about to hang his sneakers.

The 6-foot-9 behemoth got an extended duty in the pro league, signed to a one-conference contract by the Meralco Bolts B-Boys Saturday night.

Aquino will get P250,000 a month.

“That contract can still be renewed but it depends on him. So far, he’s doing well in practice. He’s enthusiastic to play,” Meralco team manager Virgil Villavicencio told The STAR.

“Coach Ryan Gregorio has talked to Marlou. They have high respect for one another. Marlou has been advised the role he’ll play in the team,” Villavicencio added.

Marlou will be the elder statesman in the team teeming with young talents including rookies Bam Gamalinda, Ford Arao, Kazim Mirza and Sean Weinstein.

Gamalinda, Arao, Mirza have signed one-year pacts. Weinstein, the No. 10 pick, gets a longer tenure of two years in his contract he’s set to sign today.

“I think we’ve formed a fighting team. We’ll be there fighting in each game,” said Villavicencio of the Meralco squad built around former Talk n Text top gun Macmac Cardona.

Beau Belga, Gabby Espinas and Dennis Daa will be the other players tending the Meralco frontcourt.

Chris Ross, Pong Escobal and Weinstein rotate at the point, Cardona and Ogie Menor man the off-guard spot while Yousif Aljamal and Bitoy Omolon alternate at small forward position.

Meralco gets to test its mettle as it plays the Singapore Slingers in a tune-up game in Singapore on Sept. 14.

The B-Boys face the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the opener of the 36th PBA season on Oct. 3 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Looking at the team rosters, Gregorio ranks his team sixth behind San Miguel Beer, Talk n Text, B-MEG Derby Ace, Barangay Ginebra and Alaska Milk.

Sta. Lucia, the team taken over by Meralco, was eighth placer in the last Philippine Cup and sixth placer in the last Fiesta Conference.