The Meralco Bolts are reactivating Gani Lawal from the injured list, hoping to check their two-game slide as they face off with the back-to-the-wall NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the MOA Arena in Pasay City Wednesday.
Meralco coach Norman Black is hopeful Lawal is ready to plunge back into action, having been off for over a week since suffering a hamstring injury in their 90-93 loss to the Alaska Milk Aces on June 9.
Lawal had led the Bolts to an even 3-3 slate before being put on the injured list.
Meralco took in Jimmie Taylor in Lawal's absence, but the temporary import sub failed to impress in the Bolts' 91-104 defeat at the hands of the TNT KaTropa.
Taylor struggled probably because of the ill effects of jet lag, making 13 points and 18 rebounds versus Terrence Jones.
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And with Lawal now feeling better, Black deemed it better to put their original import back in harness against an NLEX side aching to finally nail a win with only five games left in their elims assignments.
The Road Warriors dropped all their first six games versus the KaTropa, the NorthPort Batang Pier, the Aces, the Columbian Dyip, the Blackwater Elite and the Magnolia Hotshots.
The only winless team in the field, the Road Warriors must sweep their remaining games to have a shot at the playoffs.
They're up against the Bolts, the Ginebra Kings, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, the San Miguel Beermen and the Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters in their last five outings.
But they're in for a tough fight right away against the Bolts.
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For one, Lawal aches to make up for his absence in their last outing.
He's been a steady presence for Meralco in the five games that he has played in the tourney. (SB)
