Import woes for NLEX, T’NT

NLEX is recalling Aaron Fuller to replace the recovering Olu Ashaolu in its Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup campaign.

Ashaolu was diagnosed with a partial patellar tendon tear injury even before the opening of the season-ending conference but still played through it as the Road Warriors struggled to find his quick replacement.

With Fuller set to arrive on Tuesday, Ashaolu will have his time to heal for a possible comeback.

However, he will still play in the Road Warriors’ match against the debuting Magnolia on Wednesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

“Aaron is on the way. The deal is if Olu can rehab while Aaron is here and he even get back and be healthy, then we got a good situation going,” acting coach Lastimosa said.

“Aaron was kind of okay with that contract that if Olu comes in and he’s healthy, he’s stepping in and Aaron will sit down.”

Ashaolu registered 30 points and 18 rebounds in his first two games to tow NLEX to an early conference lead with a 2-0 win-loss slate.

He dropped 33 points and 23 rebounds in NLEX’s 103-90 debut win over Talk ‘N Text last Friday and then scored 27 points and 13 rebounds in their 123-107 win over Northport on Sunday.

Fuller served as NLEX’s import in last year’s Governors’ Cup and averaged 22.6 points and 17.7 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Talk ‘N Text is looking for three possible replacement imports to save its bid.

The KaTropa axed Mike Glover right after his first game last Friday and played without an import against Meralco on Sunday.

It was after Glover, ex-import of Globalport, underperformed with just 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting and 15 rebounds in TNT’s tough 90-103 loss to NLEX for a sorry season-ending conference debut.

“It’s due to his below performance. We needed him to show us some stats,” team manager Virgil Villavicencio told Daily Tribune. “Those numbers (11 points and 15 rebounds) were not the numbers we’re expecting. He had the chance to prove himself.”

Villavicencio could not name the potential replacements, though, as he still in touch with their agents.