San Miguel import EJ Anosike refused to go easy on his former teammates and coach in Suwon KT in the EASL on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent and his coaching staff probably did not have a tough time whipping up scouting reports on Suwon KT ahead of their East Asia Super League match on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
After all, Gallent had import EJ Anosike as scout.
“EJ really helped us a lot in scouting the players of Sonicboom today,” Gallent said of the former Sonicboom reinforcement.
Unfortunately for them, the Beermen still succumbed to Suwon KT, 87-81, in Group A action no thanks to the exploits of Rayshaun Hammonds and former Korean Basketball League Most Valuable Player Heo Hoon.
After going undrafted in the NBA in 2022, Anosike was given his first professional basketball gig overseas by the Sonicboom.
“I was very fortunate to be teammates with a lot of guys that competed today,” said Anosike.
“We had a lot of good memories. So I think coming out today was friends competing against each other.”
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Anosike also made special mention of mentor Song Young-jin, who was still an assistant coach when he donned Suwon’s colors.
“He’s helped me a lot to work out on my game, work out on my skills while I was there. I know he’s kind of like annoyed at the monster he created,” Anosike said, smiling.
Anosike, though still fond of his former teammates and coach, refused to go easy on the Sonicboom when the ball started rolling at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The hulking import ended up with 34 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Sonicboom had the last laugh, though, after import Hammonds instigated a decisive 12-2 run in the final minutes to put the game away.
“I think everybody competed hard. It’s a bit of bragging rights to who wins the game because we’re also friends to this day,” said Anosike.
For now, Anosike shifts his focus back on helping the Beermen punch a semifinals ticket in the ongoing PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup.
San Miguel will resume its best-of-five quarterfinal affair opposite Converge in Game 4 on Friday, Oct. 4, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.