PBA: Like TNT, Meralco also parading new import in Game 4

Patrick Gardner #15 of Egypt dunks the ball against Ahmad Al Dwairi #44 of Jordan in the first half during the Fiba World Cup Classification game at Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on August 31, 2023.-Gardner has been tapped by Meralco as its import starting Game 4 of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals series against TNT.– (Photo by Yong Teck Lim / POOL / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines—It turns out, TNT won’t be the only team parading a new import in Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals on Wednesday.

In a surprise move, Meralco let go of Marvin Jones and replaced him with floor-spacing big man Patrick Gardner.

“The 6’11“ American-Egyptian athlete brings experience from Japan’s B.League and the Egyptian national team, and will be suiting up for Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Semifinals,” the team posted on social media on Tuesday.

The change came just days after the Bolts were stunned by an all-Filipino Tropang 5G, 77-75, in Game 3. Jones had 22 points and 15 rebounds in what turned out to be his final game for Meralco.

Led by Jones, the Bolts finished the elimination round as the fourth seed with an 8-4 record before overcoming the Magnolia Hotshots in the quarterfinals.

A crucial Game 4 got even more interesting with Chris McCullough also making his debut for TNT, which lost Bol Bol to a partially torn Achilles in Game 2. McCullough led San Miguel to a title in the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup.