Uichico dropping player for Rudy Hatfield

source: Waylon Galvez | mb.com.ph

Rudy Hatfield is making a comeback after an absence of three years, raising concerns about his fitness and readiness to compete against young players in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Still, Barangay Ginebra won’t pass up the opportunity of having the six-foot-three veteran on the team out to regain the PBA Fiesta Cup it won two years ago.

“He’s (Hatfield) always a positive addition and I’m sure he still has the same heart and intensity. Also, he’s a stabilizing presence, not only in the locker room and on the court but also even in practice,” Ginebra coach Jong Uichico said. “He also last played here three years ago. I really want to see him play, not only in practice but in an actual game,” he added.

Hatfield is set to arrive April 6.

Uichico, however, concedes that Hatfield needs time to work himself back to shape.

“He’s 32... and at that age you may have lost a step or two, a hustle here or there,” said Uichico who now has to drop one player from his current roster to accommodate the do-it-all forward.

He will choose from among 6-6 Eric Menk, 6-3 JC Intal, 6-5 Billy Mamaril, 6-3 Willie Wilson, 6-2 Sunday Salvacion, as well as newly acquired 6-4 John Ferriols and 6-8 Yancy de Ocampo.

One of these players would be placed on the reserve list, providing the opportunity for other teams to grab him as Unrestricted Free Agent with Rights to Salary.

Ferriols had been taken from Alaska as an unrestricted free agent. Previously, 6-8 Sam Eman was taken by the Aces from San Miguel Beer.

The Kings lost to San Miguel Beer in a classic seven-game title showdown in the same conference last year.

In the previous all-Filipino Philippine Cup, Ginebra was swept by the Aces, 4-0, in the semifinals.

In the Fiesta Cup opener on Sunday, the Kings will parade ex-NBA player Awvee Storey against Talk ‘N Text in the main game of a twin-bill at the Araneta Coliseum.

In six seasons that began in 2000, Hatfield averaged double-double 13.4 points and 10.8 rebounds, with 3.1 assists in 227 games. He left for the United States following the Kings’ title triumph in the 2006-2007 Philippine Cup to be with bride-to-be Bethany.

Games Sunday (Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. — Barako Coffee vs Sta. Lucia
6:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs Talk ‘N Text