Meralco plays its second game in the EASL Home and Away Season with a better equipped roster.
The Bolts parade new reinforcement Zach Lofton to team up with big man Prince Ibeh when they go up against the New Taipei Kings Wednesday night at the New Taipei Xinzhuang gymnasium.
The 7 p.m. match will be the debut of the 31-year-old Lofton, who had a brief stint with the Detroit Pistons, as he tries to bolster a Meralco side that will still be without injured Allein Maliksi.
But good thing, the team welcomed back guard Chris Banchero after recovering from a hamstring injury.
The 33-year-old Fil-Italian scored 18 points and was 3-of-5 from three-point range in the team’s 109-95 win over TNT in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The Bolts played with only Ibeh as sole import in an 89-61 loss to reigning B. League champion Ryukyu Golden Kings during their EASL debut two weeks ago at the Okinawa Arena in Japan.
Current import Suleiman Braimoh couldn’t accompany Meralco again as the team plays on the road for the second straight time owing to visa issues.
Truly, Meralco needs all the help it can get as it will be up against an opponent that boasts of former NBA player Jeremy Lin and younger brother Joseph Lin.
The Taipei Kings also have in their roster imports Kenny Manigault and Christian Anigwe, naturalized player Quincy Davis, and former Bay Area Dragons gunner Hayden Blankley.
The Lin brothers, Manigault, and Anigwe did most of the damage as the team ran away with a 90-72 win over the Seoul SK Knights at home for their first ever win in the regional tournament.