Meralco hires Durham anew

Meralco is all fired up and extra motivated to settle an unfinished business in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup unwrapping on 18 August.

Newly-minted Philippine Cup champions, the Bolts hope to carry the momentum of their historic title conquest in the season-opening import-laden conference, which in the past has brought a string of heartaches for the franchise.

In its past 13 seasons, Meralco had five championship appearances where it lost its first four title forays before finally breaking through in the all-Filipino contest.

The four finals losses, unfortunately, came in the Governors’ Cup — all at the hands of Justin Brownlee and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings.

“We had four finals appearances here and that has been great but you always look for a certain goal. So, it’s an extra motivation for us,” Bolts coach Luigi Trillo said.

Meralco is bringing in an old hand for another shot at the conference title in American import Allen Durham, who is making a return after five years.

The 36-year-old workhorse brought the Bolts to their first-ever finals appearance in 2016. He towed them back into the championship the following year and again in 2019 after just a semifinal finish in 2018.

Durham saw action in the Japan B.League from 2021 to 2024 where he won a title for the Ryukyu Golden Kings last year.

Having tasted the sweetness of winning a crown, Durham is confident Meralco now has the tools and enough experience to win it all this time.

“I was over in Japan and I was watching the games a little bit here and there. I’m so happy that they got over the hump. Now everybody knows what it takes,” Durham said.

He, however, admitted that it won’t be easy with the caliber of the competition.

“Obviously, the PBA is very tough, tough teams and stuff. I think we got better tools and stuff like that and I think we can have a chance at it,” Durham said.

Meralco last advanced to the Governors’ Cup finals in 2021 behind Tony Bishop but lost to the Gin Kings in six games.

Trillo said that although parading a formidable roster led by AFC Finals Most Valuable Player Chris Newsome, Chris Banchero, Cliff Hodge, Brandon Bates and a prized rookie in CJ Cansino, the Bolts have to brace for a tough grind especially after ruling the Philippine Cup.

“I think we have a chip on our shoulders there. We know how important that conference is. I’m proud we won the all-Filipino because we can say that pound-for-pound, for me, that’s the most prestigious because it means you’re the best team in the land. We’ve done that,” he said.

“But it’s now a different ballgame. The challenge for us is to try to be as consistent as we can in what we do. We’re not worried about the wins and the losses but we have to play the right way.”

Everything now will depend on how quickly the team will build chemistry with Durham and execute come game time.

“We have to get our defense going. We have to get our offense going. We have to get the roles in place. The other players have to know to feed AD and then AD has to do on his own to find his rhythm and get in shape,” Trillo said.

Meralco is bunched with Converge, Magnolia, NorthPort, Terrafirma and defending champion TNT in Group A in the pool stage preliminary round.