ANTIPOLO – Blackwater remains uncertain whether or not it shall switch imports with its original choice, Daniel Ochefu, nursing a minor knee injury.
Head coach Jeff Cariaso opened up about their dilemma moments after the Bossing dropped to 0-2 in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, following a 99-88 defeat to the streaking Terrafirma on Wednesday evening.
Seen in the audience section was 7-foot big man, Robert Upshaw.
“Right now, we’re still really not sure. He’s here because he’s a good friend of Sedrick,” he said before heading to the exit gates of the Ynares Center here.
“We’re actually gonna take a look at him, but we’re still not sure.”
Upshaw, 32, is already in Manila and even watched behind the team’s bench while Ochefu continued assuming his role as the team’s reinforcement.
However, Ochefu appears clearly affected by his knee, as the 6-foot-11 center mustered only 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting and seven rebounds.
Those were a far cry from his PBA debut last week, in which he finished with 16 and 16 alongside a pair of blocks, albeit in a losing effort versus NLEX.
The signs seemingly point to a switch, but Cariaso remains noncommittal as of now. He said that it will all depend on how Ochefu heals up from his hyperextended knee, which he sustained against the Road Warriors as well.
“What happened was he got checked up two days ago, so it’s really just time to heal. Medyo na-hyperextend tuhod niya konti during the game,” he said.
“It’s just really healing time. I gave him credit tonight because he tried to give us what he could, and at least he was fighting to give what he could.”
Still, the team is keeping an open mind if there is no progress on Ochefu’s part, with Shaw readily available.
Listed at 7’0″, Upshaw carries a basketball resume made extensive by stints in the G League, Lebanon, Iran, Spain, and Taiwan — where he became teammates with Sedrick Barefield with Tainan TSG.
The former Washington Huskies slotman most recently suited up for the Jiangsu Yannan Suke of the National Basketball League in China.
“Pero you know naman, when it’s an import conference, and your import is only 50-percent, medyo mahirap,” admitted the former star turned mentor.
With this, Cariaso and his staff have to make a crucial decision very soon, as Blackwater returns to action this Sunday against the Magnolia Hotshots.
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