Joe Devance isn’t just in Manila for some vacation.
The decorated big man is ready to lace up his sneakers again after a long while, as he’s been called to play for Ginebra in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup quarterfinals.
Devance was reactivated just a day before the playoffs’ first-round opener, taking the roster spot of rookie Paul Garcia, who was relegated to the reserve list.
The need for a big has been a necessity for Ginebra after Isaac Go suffered an injury last September 13.
“We’ve been looking around for a big man ever since Isaac went down with his injury and Joe’s sudden return to Manila was fortuitous,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone.
“We put him through some workouts to check his conditioning, and although he’ll need some more build-up, we think he can contribute right away,” he went on.
“Needless to say, we won’t need to teach him the system. He’ll be teaching it to someone else.”
But Ginebra isn’t the only team making roster moves ahead of the playoffs.
San Miguel has activated veteran guard Simon Enciso, stepping in for sophomore Kyt Jimenez.
The Beermen are also anticipating the clearance of EJ Anosike’s height measurement by the league, which will allow him to replace import Jordan Adams.
Meanwhile, TNT is bolstering its lineup by bringing back Ryan Reyes as they prepare for the quarterfinals. This move bumps Almond Vosotros down to the reserve list.
Meralco also joins the roster shuffle with the return of Allein Maliksi. His activation forces Norbert Torres to be dropped from the regular lineup as the Bolts aim to strengthen their playoff campaign.
