There is no doubt in my mind now that the current crop of imports in this conference could be the best one in a while. Although, I expect next season to actually have an even much better batch because the level of competition, although not all teams, are getting hotter.
So, how should we rank them?
#12 San Miguel - John Holland (New!)
Should San Miguel panic now because Holland was so-so in his debut? Not really. I actually believed that Holland will be a better fit than Wells because John is a willing off-the-ball shooter. That way, the Beermen can maximize the deepest local roster in the league.
#11 Rain or Shine - Richard Ross (New!)
Rain or Shine delivered a surprise win last Saturday, thanks to the 16 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists of Ross. It seems like Rain or Shine always play better when they have an import who doesn't need the ball that much.
#10 Alaska - Franko House (Previous Rank: #12)
So, Alaska may not have found the dynamic and dominant import that they have been looking for but House has been helping them in getting back to the playoff hunt. House is more of an athlete than a skilled player, but he has a good diverse skillset.
#9 Blackwater - Marqus Blakely (Previous Rank: #9)
The king of stocks (steal plus blocks) may not be good enough to lead the Elite into the playoffs. Still, his unique impact to the game gives him the right to be at #9.
#8 Northport - Michael Qualls (New!)
I am a big fan of Qualls because of his athleticism and ability to reach the paint. Unfortunately, him and Northport are not delivering enough wins for him to be in a much higher ranking. He is a solid scorer but his efficiency is questionable.
#7 Khapri Alston (Previous Rank: #6)
This is a hard decision to make because Alston is a very good import and has helped the Columbian Dyip into a top 8 position at this point of the tournament. He is averaging 28.0 points, 17.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 53.4% FG per game.
#6 Magnolia - Romeo Travis (Previous Rank: #7)
The fact that I cannot push Travis into the top 5 is the best indication of the depth of this batch of foreign players. Travis is his usual self, producing 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.3 steals, 1.8 blocks and 45.8% FG per game. The guys rank ahead of him are either producing much better numbers or helped their team into a better record or both.
#5 Phoenix - Alonzo Gee (New!)
Although Phoenix is in the brink of elimination, just the performance alone of Gee made him a shoo-in in the top 5 of this ranking. Gee is averaging 34.5 points, 42.6% FG, 11.0 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 1.0 block per game.
#4 Meralco - Allen Durham (Previous Rank: #3)
What Durham is doing with the Bolts franchise is just amazing. For the fourth straight time, he is bound to push it deep into the playoffs. Looking at their roster, this is the deepest team that he has in all of his stint in the PBA. Will that result to a championship? We will find out.
#3 Ginebra - Justin Brownlee (Previous Rank: #2)
His last three games have been subpar and that is the reason why I need to slide him to the #3 spot. In their last three games, Brownlee manufactured 19.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 36.4% FG and 13.3 % 3FG per game. Ginebra will need him to be more efficient, than that.
#2 NLEX - Manny Harris (New!)
NLEX took the risk of bringing in Harris even though they have a good record and it worked! They are at the top of the standings, assured of a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals. Harris willingness to make plays for his teammates and his efficiency has been his biggest selling points.
#1 TNT - KJ McDaniels (Previous Rank: #1)
KJ will retain his top spot because of his consistency and the good standing of TNT. Now that Wells is out, he is now that #1 scorer in this conference at 36.8 points per game, with amazing efficiency of 54.5% FG and 39.4% 3FG per game. It seems like he found his shooting in the PBA.
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