Import Onuaku gives Meralco the jolt it needs

MANILA, Philippines – No sleep, no practice, and barely any orientation – still, there was a lot left in the tank for import Arinze Onuaku Wednesday night, February 10. 

Meralco’s last-minute reinforcement arrived at midnight coming off 24-hour long haul flight from Washington. He had little time to rest as he fixed papers and had his height measured Wednesday morning.  

Coach Norman Black then equipped the American former NBA player with only 3 plays right before the 7 pm game. That was enough for Onuaku to amass 25 points and 22 rebounds, plus the game-sealing basket in the waning seconds as the Bolts wrestled a much-needed 90-86 victory from the Star Hotshots to open the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup. 

“I’m just trying to push through. That’s all it was. I’m hurting but I just tried to get it done,” he said, exhausted after playing 43:28 minutes and plugging Meralco’s gaping hole in the paint. 

Onuaku, who went undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft, was also responsible for hitting the final left-handed hook shot after posting up Star import Denzel Bowles with 17.4 seconds to go to stave off the Hotshots’ rally from 10 points down. 

The strong debut is all part of Onuaku’s goal to inject life into the once severely deflated Meralco.

“I’m just trying to change the morale of the team so that everybody could be positive and be happy, be excited about playing,” he said. 

The Bolts had been starving for a win like that after a dismal 1-10 Philippine Cup – their lone win also came against the Hotshots. As a result, they turned into an uninspired bunch. 

Meralco, which gathered spirit and hope during a busy break of hardwork, came in danger of getting disheartened once more after a stroke of bad luck left original import Malcolm Thomas with a knee injury in practice and unable to suit up.

Meralco had to find a quick replacement just 4 days before the conference and fortunately Onuaku was available.

“It’s a big win for us, guys,” Black sighed. “You just don’t know how big it is actually after coming off a 1-10 conference.” 

Onuaku, who played for the New Orleans Pelicans, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA and is a seasoned NBA D-League vet, aced the 3 plays Black taught him before the game: the pick-and-roll, the post-up, and the double-high. 

“It’s very tough. I’m very much playing in China, you figure it out as the game goes. The guys came through and made some big shots and big plays that helped us out,” Onuaku said. “When I was on the floor, we tried to keep the basics and that’s what we did.” 

Black expects Onuaku to be a focal part of Meralco’s offense as he learns more and adjusts better as the conference rolls along.

“Just got to keep pushing,” Onuaku said. – Rappler.com