‘Gregzilla’ set for return in Commissioner’s Cup

By Jesse C. Ong

Regardless of the outcome of the PBA Philippine Cup finals between Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel Beer, this piece of good news would certainly excite die-hard Gin Kings fanatics. 

Seven-foot slotman Greg Slaughter, after sitting out for several months following a major knee operation to repair a torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), is set for a much-awaited return in the import-spiced Commissioner’s Cup.

The towering center will compensate for Ginebra’s lack of ceiling in the mid-season tournament, where the maximum height limit for imports is 6’10”, after the team opted to sign up the prolific but undersized Justin Brownlee for another tour of duty.

Brownlee only stands a shade below 6’5”, but his handicap is not a major concern for the Gin Kings, whom he led to last year’s Governors’ Cup title over the Meralco Bolts to finally end the fabled squad’s eight-year title drought.

Coming off a stint with Mighty Sports in the Dubai International basketball tournament, the do-it-all reinforcement will also be Ginebra’s import in the season-ending Governors’ Cup.

Brownlee will immediately join the Gin Kings’ practice to re-familiarize himself with Coach Tim Cone’s system and prepare for an expected tough battle with taller counterparts in the upcoming conference.

Slaughter, meanwhile, is reportedly doing personal workouts to keep himself fit as he is all set to rejoining Ginebra’s scrimmages after the Philippine Cup finals. With his absence, the league’s most popular ballclub has been without a legitimate center and was forced to make do with their other big men like Japeth Aguilar, Joe Devance and Dave Marcelo in the center position.

Other teams which have already reinforcements for the Commissioner’s Cup include San Miguel (Charles Rhodes), Rain or Shine (Shawn Taggart), Phoenix (Jarrid Famous), TnT Katropa (Denzel Bowles), NLEX (Wayne Chism), Meralco (Alex Stephenson), Star (Tony Mitchel), and Mahindra (James White).

The mid-season tourney opens on March 17.