MANILA – Even before clinching its fifth straight PBA Philippine Cup title, San Miguel Beermen was already looking forward to the future. It tapped a familiar face to be their import for the 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup which will open this Sunday.
The Beermen has opted to bring back Charles Rhodes as it aims for a second consecutive PBA title after asserting its dominance in the All-Filipino Conference with a 72-71 escape over Magnolia Hotshots on Wednesday night.
Rhodes said he was happy to return to the Beermen that hopes to regain the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown it lost last year to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in a six-game finals series.
“I’m very happy. I’m back. It felt like I was just here a year ago but it was back in 2017. So I’m just happy and ecstatic to be back,” said Rhodes, who helped the Beermen won the 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup title.
“It just feels like my second home,” added the former PBA Best Import awardee. “I always wanted to come back. I wanted to come back last season but you know, I had a daughter. But now, I’m here, and I’m ready to defend my crown.”
Aside from Beermen, Philippine Cup runner-up’s Magnolia Hotshots also has a former PBA import in 6-foot-9 center John Fields who will help in shoring further the team’s frontline that also features Rafael Reavis and Ian Sangalang.
The 6-foot-9 Fields suited up for Columbian Dyip in this same conference last year and averaged 29.1 points and 19.1 rebounds. The team, however, failed to move past the next round with its 4-7 win-loss slate./PN
