Brownlee teams up with Hollis-Jefferson for Meralco Bolts in East Asia Super League

THE dream team-up of rivals Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (RHJ) and Justin Brownlee (JB) for the Meralco Bolts is about to explode.

After a bout with pneumonia forced Mr. Brownlee to miss the first four games of their campaign in the East Asia Super League (EASL), RHJ and JB finally linked up at the Bolts’ practice on Wednesday at Upper Deck.

Photos and reels of the two working out with the Bolts made the rounds on social media, generating excitement for fans eager to see the Hollis-Jefferson and Brownlee join forces after engaging in epic showdowns for TNT and Ginebra in the PBA and the Asian Games gold medal match for Jordan and Gilas Pilipinas.

Mr. Brownlee, fresh from leading the Nationals to a two-game sweep of Guam in the first window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, will assume the naturalized player spot for Meralco. He is expected to make his debut when the Bolts (2-2) seek a repeat against the Macau Black Bears (0-1) on Saturday at the Capital Arena in Ilagan City.

The two stalwart imports from the PBA won’t be carrying all the load for Meralco, though.

They have as teammates Puerto Rican national mainstay Ismael Romero, who was named EASL Player of the Month for November with his 24.3-point, 19.7-rebound average in Meralco’s two wins in three outings, and Asian reinforcement Sina Vahedi, the Iranian ace who delivered a Best Player of the Game-earning 22-7 performance in their opening win over the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, 85-76.

Mr. Brownlee’s Gilas teammate Chris Newsome along with Chris Banchero, Cliff Hodge, Bong Quinto, Raymond Almazan and CJ Cansino are expected to step up among the Bolts’ locals. — Olmin Leyba