Barako Bull gets former Lakers center as new import
Another legitimate former National Basketball Association (NBA) player is set to strut his wares in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) as the Barako Bull Energy Colas brought in ex-Los Angeles Laker DJ Mbenga as its new import.
The seven-footer Congolese-Belgian Mbenga won championship titles playing alongside Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in the Lakers. He also had stints with the Dallas Mavericks.
Mbenga is expected to give Barako Bull the needed muscle in the paint.
The Energy Colas are hard-pressed to win their remaining games in the ongoing 38th PBA Commissioner’s Cup where they are currently at ninth place in the team standings with a 4-7 (win-loss) record.
The number 10 and nine teams after the elimination round will take an early vacation.
Barako Bull has just snapped an alarming six-game slide with a, 105-100 win over the defending champions San Mig Coffee Mixers last Sunday.
Mbenga though, will have big shoes to fill as he replaced a hard-working Evan Brock, who averaged 21.1 points, 16 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 11 outings with Barako Bull.
Mbenga will have his debut on Sunday against the Petron Blaze Boosters.
The Boosters will also parade a new import in Henry Sims, the third import to play for the team this conference. Before Sims, Petron had Renaldo Balkman and Rodney White.
KINGS WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT
Meanwhile, the hot-streaking Barangay Ginebra Kings pocketed their fifth straight victory after drubbing the Air21 Express last night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Vernon Macklin put up 32 points and 11 rebounds as the Kings improved to 6-5.
The Express battled back from double-digit deficits and took the lead, 79-76 in the final 5:25 but suffered a stinging blow when import Michael Dunigan fouled out with still 4:15 left.
Dunigan played for just 26 minutes due to foul trouble and came up with 16 markers.
LA Tenorio backed Macklin with 18 points, while Chris Ellis and Elmer Espiritu had 10 each as the Kings won their second straight game without their injured top gun Mark Caguioa.
Niño Canaleta fired 29 points to lead the Express, who tasted their second straight loss after a five-game win streak. Air21 fell to 5-7.
BOX SCORES
GINEBRA (90)- Macklin 32, Tenorio 18, Ellis 10, Espiritu 10, Helterbrand 6, Labagala 4, Mamaril 4, Baracael 3, Wilson 2, Taha 1, Hatfield 0.
AIR21 (84)- Canaleta 29, Dunigan 16, Cortez 12, Sena 8, Baclao 8, Custodio 6, Arboleda 3, Menor 2.
