Head coach Luigi Trillo was so thrilled about the huge game of new import Shonn Miller that he branded his arrival as a gift from high above.
Miller fired 33 points and collared 22 rebounds and powered Meralco to a rousing 85-80 victory over Magnolia in their Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup out-of-town game in Iloilo on Saturday.
“It was like heaven sent,” Trillo told DAILY TRIBUNE. “The timing was perfect and we’re lucky to find a gem of an import in Shonn Miller.”
Miller was all over the court and that only pumped up Trillo.
“We’re a defense-oriented team and what’s good about Shonn’s game is his ability to defend both perimeter and big players. He’s also a solid rebounder and these things are exactly what we need.”
With Miller on board, the Bolts were able to address some problems with their game following the departure of first import Sulaiman Braimoh, who suffered an injury after five games.
He was replaced by the team’s East Asia Super League import Zach Lofton, who proved to be a proven scorer but was deemed too small to bang bodies inside opposite rivals who are a lot bigger and stronger.
But despite Miller being measured at a little over 6-foot-6, he made a lot of heads turn when he made his debut against the league-leading Hotshots.