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Tag: PBA Commissioner’s Cup

  • San Miguel keeps door open for Bennie Boatwright return, but KBL stint poses as challenge 

    San Miguel keeps door open for Bennie Boatwright return, but KBL stint poses as challenge 

    Winning back-to-back All-Filipino championships has barely slowed San Miguel Beer’s momentum, but even as celebrations fade, planning for the next grind is already underway.

     

    Coach Leo Austria confirmed that the Beermen remain actively engaged with Brandon Boatwright, the familiar import who once powered the franchise to a Commissioner’s Cup title. The interest is mutual, but timing—more than desire—has emerged as the biggest obstacle.

     

    Boatwright is currently locked into his campaign with Daegu KOGAS Pegasus in the Korean Basketball League, a commitment that stretches well into April. That calendar clash creates uncertainty for San Miguel, with the PBA Commissioner’s Cup scheduled to tip off on March 11, just days after the All-Star festivities.

     

    “May communication kami. But the problem now with him is his last game in the eliminations sa Korea will last until April 8,” Austria said moments after guiding San Miguel to another championship. 

     

    “Mag-uumpisa tayo March 11, so probably mami-miss niya at least yung four games.” 

     

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    It’s a familiar dilemma for a franchise that knows exactly what Boatwright can bring. The 29-year-old import was the backbone of San Miguel’s Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup run, anchoring a finals victory over Magnolia in six games. A reunion would immediately strengthen the Beermen’s bid to chase yet another title.

     

    Still, Austria made it clear that nothing is guaranteed. The realities of overseas contracts and shifting priorities mean the situation could change quickly.

     

    “We don’t know yet, pero baka mamaya biglang mag opt-out siya. So talagang kinakausap namin siya,” the veteran coach said.

     

    Despite the uncertainty, optimism remains. Austria shared that Boatwright has expressed enthusiasm about the idea of wearing a San Miguel jersey once more—if circumstances allow.

    “Last time na nakausap siya ng manager namin (Gee Abanilla), ang sabi niya he’s excited to come back here with San Miguel,” Austria said. “But we’re not sure kung siya talaga. Of course, may commitment yung sa kanyang team.”

     

    For now, the Beermen wait—balancing patience with preparation. Whether Boatwright’s return aligns with the Commissioner’s Cup timeline or not, one thing is clear: San Miguel is already thinking ahead, intent on keeping its championship window wide open.

     

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  • NLEX moves early, taps Cady Lalanne to power Commissioner’s Cup push

    NLEX moves early, taps Cady Lalanne to power Commissioner’s Cup push

    NLEX isn’t waiting around for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup to unfold before making its intentions clear.

     

    Fresh off an early playoff exit in the Philippine Cup, the Road Warriors struck quickly, securing Haitian import Cady Lalanne to anchor their bid in the mid-season conference. 

     

    The 6-foot-10 center arrived in Manila on Sunday, giving the team a head start as it looks to recalibrate and contend.

     

    Lalanne brings with him a résumé shaped more by global grind than NBA spotlight. A University of Massachusetts standout, he was selected in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft by San Antonio but carved his professional path overseas instead, becoming a familiar presence across multiple international leagues.

     

    At 33, Lalanne arrives as a polished, battle-tested reinforcement. His recent body of work includes stints in FIBA club competitions, where he consistently delivered, averaging 17.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game across his appearances. 

     

     

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    He has also competed on the FIBA WASL stage, reaching the Final 8 three times—twice with Kuwait Club and most recently with C.S. Sagesse—underscoring his experience against elite regional competition.

     

    His most recent stop came in Taiwan, where he suited up for Kaohsiung in the TPBL before being released earlier this month. 

     

    Now, he steps into a new challenge, tasked with providing interior presence and stability for an NLEX side eager to climb higher after finishing eighth last conference and bowing out to eventual champion San Miguel in the quarterfinals.

     

    NLEX becomes the second team to lock in an import for the Commissioner’s Cup, following Phoenix’s signing of James Dickey II. With Lalanne in place early, the Road Warriors are signaling urgency—and belief—that a stronger, deeper run is within reach this time around.

     

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  • Phoenix ushers in new era with James Dickey III as import under new coach Charles Tiu 

    Phoenix ushers in new era with James Dickey III as import under new coach Charles Tiu 

    A new chapter is officially underway in Phoenix Super LPG, and it begins with a bold import choice that signals how Charles Tiu plans to reshape the Fuel Masters.

     

    James Dickey III has been locked in as Phoenix’s first reinforcement under Tiu’s watch, a move the young coach confirmed as he kicked off his tenure with the team. While the timing of the import market posed challenges, Tiu made it clear that landing Dickey was a win in itself.

     

    “It’s really not the best time of the year to get imports since the leagues in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan are already in full swing, but we’re still lucky to get James,” Tiu said.

     

    “Though he is still relatively young, he already has experience, and hopefully, with his height and athleticism, he can help us this conference.”

     

    At 6-foot-10, Dickey brings size and mobility to a Phoenix squad that is clearly leaning toward a faster, more modern style. A product of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Dickey may have gone undrafted in 2020, but his professional journey since has been anything but quiet.

     

    The American big man has built a résumé across Europe, suiting up in Hungary, Germany, Israel, France, and Ukraine before finding stability in Indonesia with Pelita Jaya. There, he spent the last two years competing at a high level and even shared the floor with Barangay Ginebra star Justin Brownlee.

     

    Before parting ways with Pelita Jaya late last year, Dickey was posting strong all-around numbers, averaging 18.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game—production Phoenix hopes will translate seamlessly to the PBA stage.

     

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    Dickey’s arrival comes amid a period of heavy transition for the Fuel Masters. Prior to Tiu taking over, the franchise moved on from several veterans, including RJ Jazul, RR Garcia, Yousef Taha, J-Jay Alejandro, Sean Manganti, and James Kwekuteye, while committing to rookie Will Gozum with a two-year contract.

     

    Despite the turnover, Tiu isn’t short on optimism.

     

    “Jason [Perkins] will still be our leader on the court, and Ricci [Rivero] impressed me so much — he’s actually much better than I thought. I think he’s going to be a huge part of our team,” he said.

     

    “I also like our point guards Tyler [Tio] and Evan [Nelle]. They can really run our system well.”

    Youth may define Phoenix on paper, but Tiu sees hunger as the equalizer.

     

    “Even if our team is younger compared to the others, we’re ready to give every team a run for their money. We want to compete hard and show that we can be a tough matchup for anyone.”

    With Dickey anchoring the middle and a retooled core buying into Tiu’s vision, Phoenix Super LPG is wasting no time making its intentions clear in this new era.

     

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  • Justin Brownlee staying with Ginebra for Commissioner’s Cup says Tim Cone 

    Justin Brownlee staying with Ginebra for Commissioner’s Cup says Tim Cone 

    In a league where whispers travel fast and speculation often snowballs, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel wasted little time in shutting down talk surrounding the future of its most trusted reinforcement.

     

    Justin Brownlee, the face of Ginebra’s import legacy and now a naturalized Filipino, will remain firmly in Gin Kings colors for the upcoming PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup this March. Head coach Tim Cone made that stance unmistakably clear after online chatter linked Brownlee to a possible short-term stint with the Meralco Bolts.

     

    “Of course he’s our import (for the PBA Comm’s Cup),” Cone said on Tuesday.

     

    The clarification came on the heels of a rumor circulated by PBA Insider News, which claimed Meralco was exploring the idea of borrowing Brownlee for the import-laden conference. 

     

    The reported logic behind the move was continuity — preserving Brownlee’s existing chemistry with the Bolts during their ongoing 2026 East Asia Super League (EASL) campaign.

     

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    According to the same buzz, Meralco was supposedly waiting on Ginebra management’s decision, with EASL import Ismael Romero being floated as a fallback option should the request be rejected.

     

    Cone’s blunt response, however, effectively closed the door on any such scenario.

     

    More than just a roster decision, Ginebra’s insistence on keeping Brownlee underscores how central he remains to the franchise’s identity and ambitions. Over the years, Brownlee has evolved from a reliable import into a cultural fixture — a steady closer in pressure moments, a locker-room leader, and a proven championship catalyst.

     

    With the Commissioner’s Cup looming, Ginebra appears intent on continuity and familiarity, choosing stability over experimentation. And with Brownlee staying put, the Gin Kings signal that any title run this conference will once again be built around a partnership that has delivered time and time again.

     

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