The NLEX Road Warriors have decided to change imports with just a game left in their Commissioner’s Cup campaign, as they prepare for the 2018 Governor’s Cup, according to a report by ESPN5 on Wednesday afternoon.
The Road Warriors will be fielding Olu Ashaolu in lieu of the Arnett Moultrie. The latter, who averaged 29.9 points and 14.7 rebounds with 3.3 dimes in the nine games he saw action with NLEX, though he isn’t flying back home yet.
As NLEX team manager Ronald Dulatre told ESPN5, the Road Warriors decided to activate the 30-year-old Ashaolu months prior to the season-ending conference as the six-foot-nine Moultrie is “slightly injured.”
NLEX are already out of playoff contention in the mid-season tilt. They were booted out last June 23, as they bowed to the defending Commissioner’s Cup champions San Miguel Beermen, 114-125, in Calasiao, Pangasinan.
Ashaolu has already been with the team for two weeks, and he also traveled with the Road Warriors in Calasiao.
The 30-year-old Ashaolu – who played college ball in Louisiana Tech and Oregon – last played for the Sendai 89ers in Japan’s B.League. There, he averaged 18.5 points and 7.6 rebounds before hurting his knee last November.
Ashaolu is set to make his PBA debut on July 4, Wednesday, versus the Magnolia Hotshots, who will also be parading new import Wayne Chism. The Road Warriors-Hotshots tiff will be at the SM Mall of Asia Arena at 7:00 PM.
