Star eyeing 4th tour of duty for Denzel Bowles

MANLA, Philippines – If plans don’t miscarry, former Best Import Denzel Bowles could be back for a fourth PBA tour of duty with the Star Hotshots for the Commissioner’s Cup set to start on February 10.

Star board governor Rene Pardo said they already got in touch with the sweet-shooting Bowles recently and they’ve learned that the former James Madison University is available.

“Nakausap na namin si Denzel and sabi niya he’s available. He’s just played recently sa Venezuela. He’s in our list of candidates,” Pardo told Philstar.com on Monday, shortly after the team resumed practice for the first time this year.

Bowles is fresh from a stint with the Marinos de Anzoategui in the 2015-16 Venezuelan league where he averaged 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest.

Pardo mentioned that they would have also wanted to bring back James Mays, the hardworking import, who led the team to the 2014 Commissioner’s Cup championship.

But the 6-foot-8 Mays is currently playing for Al Shabab in a basketball league in United Arab Emirates.

For the moment, Pardo said the Hotshots are keeping their options open should their plan to bring Bowles fail to materialize.

“Since naglaro siya sa amin last year, naka-isang liga pa lang uli siya kaya nagtitingin pa din kami ng iba. You’ll never know (if he’s in shape) until you see him in practice,” he added.

Bowles owned PBA career averages of 26.26 points, 13.37 rebounds, 2.98 assists and 2.11 blocks in 54 career games since 2012.

The Star executive mentioned they intend to fly in their import at the latest this weekend so he could join the team next week.

The Hotshots will have their twice-a-day practice beginning next Monday as they begin their intensive preparation for the second conference they last won in the 2014 season.

The team is coming off a ninth place finish in the Philippine Cup, winning just four times under rookie coach Jason Webb.

Star took a swift quarterfinal exit after bowing to Barangay Ginebra in the opening round of the all-Filipino conference playoffs on Christmas Day.