With high-scoring import Eugene Phelps still nursing a bone bruise on his left foot, the Phoenix Fuel Masters are not leaving anything to chance, bringing in 32-year-old Brandon Brown to serve as insurance.
“Insurance namin siya,” said Phoenix head coach Ariel Vanguardia after the team’s tune-up against the De La Salle University Green Archers, Saturday morning in Pasig. “We don’t know if Eugene will make it in time.
“We like Eugene to completely heal kasi pinilit niya maglaro [last Sunday against Blackwater]. Kaya tuloy hindi na-complete yung healing.”
The 27-year-old Phelps has been wearing a protective boot for the entire week. Still the Fuel Masters have no intention of completely replacing Phelps, only signing Brown to a “half-a-month” contract.
“We signed him for half-a-month, so mga two games siguro lalaruin niya with us,” Vanguardia added.
Brown stands at 6-foot-7 and went undrafted during the 2010 NBA Draft. He has played in Lithuania, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Cyprus, France, Poland, Greece, and Saudi Arabia, before playing with Turkish club team Istanbulspor Beylikduzu for the last two years.
The Fuel Masters are currently sporting a 2-3 slate, good for seventh. Phoenix will have the Meralco Bolts and the Star Hotshots next on their schedule.
