Coke, Air21, Alaska start import-shopping

MANILA, Philippines – The Coca-Cola Tigers, hoping to redeem themselves from a so-so showing in the PBA Philippine Cup, may will be the first team to fly in an import, Penn State standout Titus Ivory, who is scheduled to arrive in the next few days for the reinforced tournament.

Other teams are now also in search of a prospective import with the all-Filipino tourney now deep into the playoffs.

The Philippine Cup Final Four goes full blast Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum with Talk n Text going for a 2-0 lead over defending champion B-MEG Derby Ace in their best-of-seven showdown. San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra start their own semis match-up on the same day.

Air21 team manager Allan Gregorio said they’re now short-listing their prospects.

Barako Bull coach Junel Baculi, meanwhile, said he’s waiting for a meeting with the team management so he can make his preparations.

Coca-Cola beat everybody to the draw, naming Ivory as its reinforcement for the second conference featuring imports with a height limit of six feet and four inches.

Alaska would have loved to bring back Diamon Simpson for a shot at a title repeat. Simpson, however, is two inches over the limit.

Ivory is listed as a 6-foot-4 guard with vast experience overseas.

He’s expected to play multi-position at Coca-Cola, tasked to prop up the team after a poor seventh-place finish in the All-Filipino tourney.

Ivory is considered one of the most experienced floor leaders in Europe, having played in Germany, Belgium, Lithuania and Italy.

The Penn State U star suited up with the Golden State Warriors in the 2001 NBA Summer League after completing a five-year stint highlighted with his inclusion in the All Big Ten Third Team.

As a senior, he then led Penn State to the NCAA Sweet 16.He averaged 31.1 minutes, 15.8 points, 4.5 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 steals in his final year in the NCAA, and ended up with 129 career games played – the most in Penn State history.

He’s second in all-time steals record with 218, sixth in all-time assists with 443 and seventh in all-time points with 1,369.

He led Big 10 Conference in steals (2.55) and free-throw shooting (90 percent) and was fourth in assists (4.4) and fifth in points (15.8) also in his senior year.

Ivory played high school ball with North Mecklenburg in Charlotte, North Carolina, averaging 22.5 points and being nominated for North Carolina’s High School Athlete of the Year in 1994.

He played football in his prep and also stood out, emerging New England Prep School Player of the Year.
source: philstar.com/