EASL-bound Meralco taps Puerto Rican journeyman

A journeyman from Puerto Rico will terrorize the shaded lanes when Meralco sees action in the East Asia Super League this October.

Ismael Romero, a 6-foot-10 slotman of Cuban descent, will serve as the Bolts’ second reinforcement when they chase the country’s breakthrough title in this prestigious international tournament.

The 34-year-old Romero is coming in with stellar credentials.

After failing to lead Cuba to the Centrobasket title in 2012, he and his three other teammates abandoned the team to seek political asylum in Puerto Rico. His naturalization was completed in 2021, paving the way for him to suit up for the Puerto Rican national team in major international competitions, including the Paris Summer Olympics last year and the FIBA Basketball World Championship in Manila in 2023.

Aside from that, he is a well-traveled journeyman who strut his stuff in countries like the United States, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Israel, Nicaragua, and Spain. His last stop was South Korea, where he suited up for the Suwon KT Sonicboom, which also competes in the EASL.

Romero’s transition to Meralco is expected to be smooth as he joins Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and naturalized player Justin Brownlee — two of the best imports in the history of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). There will be another Asian import, but the Bolts keep his identity under wraps pending the completion of their negotiation.

Meralco governor Atty. Billy Pamintuan said they are doing their best to assemble a solid team that will win the country’s first EASL crown, a fitting gift to the PBA as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

“We want to win the EASL for the country and for the PBA,” Pamintuan said at the sidelines of the league’s annual planning session on Tuesday at MGM Grand.

“We are leaving no stones unturned, make no mistake about it.”

PBA teams have struggled in the previous editions of the EASL. The Bolts, in fact, had won only once in the 2023-2024 season in which they defeated the Golden Kings in Macau.

Last season, Meralco fell one win shy of becoming the first PBA team to enter the semifinals of the EASL after going 2-4 in the group stage. They came up short against the New Taipei Kings in the final game of the season following a heartbreaking double-overtime loss in February, 96-106.

In the coming season. Meralco is bracketed in Group B together with the Macau Black Bears, Taoyuan Pauian Pilots and Ryukyu Golden Kings.

Should the Bolts win, they will bring home a cool $1 million aside from etching their names in history as the first ever Filipino club to lift the prestigious trophy.

Pamintuan admitted that they are thrilled to play at home, especially with Brownlee and Hollis-Jefferson conspiring with Romero together with a slew of local stars like Chris Banchero, Chris Newsome, Raymund Almazan, Cliff Hodge and naturalized player Ange Kouame.

“It’s going to be very exciting. From what I heard, he (Romero) is really good,” Pamintuan said, referring to the Puerto Rican who used to be the teammate of former PBA import Renaldo Balkman in the national squad.

“This (EASL) will be a big tournament for us. We want to win it for the country and for the PBA, of course.”