The Bolts are looking to make a good impression in the EASL.
The Meralco Bolts aren’t just preparing for the upcoming PBA season. They are also set to take part in the EASL tournament after replacing Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
In its social media pages, the EASL posted a video of the Bolts’ preparations for the tournament.
The Bolts have been placed in Group B alongside the Ryukyu Golden Kings, Seoul SK Knights, and fellow newcomers New Taipei Kings, which will feature former NBA star Jeremy Lin.
As his Bolts are set to go up against several strong teams in the region, coach Luigi Trillo said that they welcome this challenge, adding that this will also be good for the country.
“There's a lot of pride at stake here. These are the best teams in Asia,” Trillo said in the EASL’s video.
“I think it's good for Philippine basketball. You're exposed to international competition, so with that being said, we have to pivot a little bit in terms of adjustments in terms of playing games, but we welcome that,” he added.
Meralco veteran Cliff Hodge likewise acknowledged that the Bolts will have to give it their all as they try to grab some wins in the tournament.
“We know we're not gonna be the strongest team, but we'll try our best and I think what we'll bring are teamwork, hard work, chemistry, and discipline. And we'll use our system,” said Hodge. “Hopefully, we can get a few wins in this EASL.”
The EASL is scheduled to commence on October 11, featuring a home-and-away format similar to that of the NBA.
That means basketball fans here in the country as well as those in the region will have the opportunity to see these teams competing live.
And that means more basketball for Filipino hoops fans to look forward to in the coming days.
(MDB)