 |
| The Raging Bull is now a Batang Pier. |
GlobalPort acquired veteran big man Enrico Villanueva in a trade with Barako Bull that sent out guard Willie Miller and forward Hans Thiele.
This deal was a huge win for GlobalPort for several reasons. One, Miller has been in a terrible slump recently, and the trio of rookie guards coming in (Terrence Romeo, RR Garcia, and LA Revilla) are going to need playing time. Sending out 2 players in exchange for 1 could also help in managing the potential roster logjam once the rookies are signed. Most importantly, the squad got a seasoned center to bolster the frontline.
In 2009, Villanueva was almost traded to then-Coca-Cola Tigers for center Asi Taulava, though that never came to fruition. Four years later, the Raging Bull is set to join the franchise that took over the Tigers.
At 33, Enrico is years past his prime already, but he still can play. He was even a part of the National Team that captured the Jones Cup Championship just a year ago.
After having a resurgence in his career when he got traded to Barako Bull, Enrico suffered an ACL injury that took him out of the court for almost a year. He came back and played 4 games last conference and showed that he has recovered quite nicely from the injury.
What Enrico will bring to the team is inside presence, not necessarily through scoring, but through rebounding and defense. He still is a wide-bodied 6'6" after all. He can still bang bodies against opposing bigs and once in awhile we might even see some neat low post moves.
At this point in his career, his biggest asset is no longer his athleticism, but his veteran savvy and leadership. So while expecting vintage Enrico dunks may be a bit of a reach, he will still be a very valuable piece to this young GlobalPort team. Even though age and injuries have caught up with him, we hope he still has the fire and tenacity of a Raging Bull within.
Roar Out.
No comments:
Post a Comment