ALASKA has followed Rain or Shine's lead and would be parading a new import with a bit of Dutch experience in the PBA Governors Cup.
According to sources, the Aces have tapped Franko House to take over from the injured Justin Watts.
The same report said House has been in the country since Monday and would be suiting up for Alaska when it plays Meralco on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Watts strained his calf in practice three days prior to the Aces' meeting with San Miguel Beer last Sunday and could not see action.
Minus Watts' two-game averages of 31.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists , Alaska got clobbered 83-109 and dropped deeper to the cellar with a 0-3 slate.
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House is a product of NCAA Division 1 school Ball State University and is coming off a stint with Landstede Zwolle in the Netherlands. He left before the Hammers won their first DBL title, however.
The 25-year-old would be Alaska's third import in the season-ending conference after original choice Brendan Dawson proved to be over the 6-foot-5 height limit. That paved the way for Watts' entry.
Also coming fresh from his stint in the Dutch top-tier league and House's one-time teammate in Lanstede is Kayel Locke, who will be taking over from Joel Wright over at the Rain or Shine camp.
"We decided to replace Joel and we already have Kayel as our new import," related coach Caloy Garcia, whose Elasto Painters are currently toting a 1-2 slate.
Wright, who saw action for Star (now Magnolia Ang Pambansang Manok) in the 2016 edition of the season-ending conference, averaged 24 points, 10.67 rebounds and 3.0 assists in his second PBA stint.
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But what prodded Rain or Shine management to look for a replacement was Wright getting slapped with an F1 for tripping TNT forward Troy Rosario in the course of a 103-91 defeat to the KaTropa last Saturday.
The 25-year-old Locke has had two practice sessions with the E-Painters and will make his PBA debut when they take on defending champion Magnolia Ang Pambansang Manok also on Friday.
After graduating from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro Locke took his act overseas, suiting up in Kosovo, Latvia, Finland, Estonia and the Netherlands.
The experience readily showed and impressed Garcia.
"In two practices so far, what's nice about Kayel is he has good court vision, he can shoot from the outside and can play the post also," related Garcia. (NC)
