By Joel Orellana

ROD Nealy will have to carry much of the load this time for Barangay Ginebra when the Kings defend the Fiesta Cup crown of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Kings head coach Jong Uichico is hoping Nealy would be in his best elements in the tournament that kicks off on February 28 in Dumaguete City.

“Sana nasa kundisyon,” Uichico told the BusinessMirror on Sunday. Ginebra opens its campaign against Coca-Cola on March 4 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Nealy flew in on Saturday and will try to duplicate what Chris Alexander had achieved for the Kings when he led the team to the Fiesta Cup title last season against Air21 (now Burger King) in a classic Game Seven series.

Alexander could not return in the forthcoming conference after the PBA imposed a six-foot-six height limit.

But Nealy is no stranger to Uichico’s system. He has played for Ginebra in 2007. Nealy, a Houston Baptist University standout, has to work doubly hard though as the Kings’ frontline is limping at the moment.

“As of now, we have players who are still injured like Eric [Menk], Junthy [Valenzuela], Rafi [Reavis] and Mark [Caguioa],” Uichico added. “So, we’ll be relying more on him [Nealy].”

Besides Nealy, Uichico is also expecting more from his new recruits JC Intal, Doug Kramer and Chico Lanete, who were traded from the Titans last month.

Nealy is one of the four comebacking imports in the coming tournament.

Shawn Daniels (Burger King), JJ Sullinger (Coca-Cola) and Charles Clark III (Rain or Shine) are, except for Sullinger, getting a second tour of duty with the same teams. Sullinger suited up for the All-Filipino champions Talk ’N Text two seasons ago, leading the Tropang Texters to a runner-up finish.

Alaska is still hoping it could lure back the hard-working Rossell Ellis but coach Tim Cone said nothing is final yet. The Aces are the only team that has yet to get an import. Talk ‘N Text got Tiras Wade while San Miguel Beer signed Nate Carter.

Wade played for the Louisiana-Lafayette Raging Cajuns and is coming off a stint in a European league. The Tropang Texters are eyeing to sweep the 2008-09 season after winning All-Filipino tournament over the Aces.

According to Beermen coach Siot Tanquingcen, Carter, who played for the Texas Tech Oklahoma Sooners, will be arriving middle of this week. The six-foot-six Carter averaged 11.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in the 2006-07 season for the Sooners.

The new faces in the tournament are Scooter McFadgon of Barako Bulls (formerly Red Bull), Reggie Larry of Purefoods Tender Juicy and Arthur James Jackson of Sta. Lucia Realty.


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