Gregorio wants fast, defensive Meralco team

MANILA, Philippines – Newly hired Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) coach Ryan Gregorio wants to transform his squad into a defensive and running team, with speed as its advantage over other PBA ball clubs.




Gregorio said the Meralco Bolts will be different fromPhilippine Cup champion Purefoods/B-Meg Derby Ace, which he previously coached.



“I’ve molded Purefoods into a defensive, executing team, and I want Meralco to be a defensive, running team,” he said in a report by PBA.ph.



“I’ve had a successful program anchored on defense and I intend to make this team to be pretty good defensively,” he added.



Gregorio admitted the transformation itself will take sometime, and that Meralco management understood the process.



“It will be a journey. Management understands it will be a process and it will get rough before it gets smooth, but we’ll get there,” said the coach of the new Meralco team.



The Meralco Bolts are currently being strengthened. Gregorio said he wants to assemble a highly-competitive team in time for the PBA opening in October.



Meralco took over the Sta. Lucia Realtors team composed of Marlou Aquino, Gabby Espinas, Nelbert Omolon, Yousif Aljamal, Pong Escobal, Ogie Menor and Chris Ross. Slotman Beau Belga and high scorer MacMac Cardona were also acquired from a trade.



Gregorio also plans to use the second-round picks in the coming draft to fill up the team’s need for a point guard, a small forward, and a power forward.



He said he also plans to acquire several players from other teams.

Among the players he said he wants to get are Rey Guevarra, RJ Jazul, John Melegrito, Borgie Hermida and Shawn Weinstein

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