MANILA (Philippines) After another big win at the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Meralco import Akil Mitchell quickly turned his attention to Bolts’ next assignment, which is shaping up to be tough. .
Meralco defeated NLEX 105-91 on Friday, but Mitchell is already looking forward to the team’s next challenge, a matchup with league leader Northport, where he will face fellow countryman Kadeem Jack.
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“I’ve known the name Kadeem Jack for a while, but I didn’t know much about his game, but I’d heard the name before. I’d seen them play once or twice. But I’m going to watch more film in the next few days,” Mitchell said.
“They’re obviously winning games, so we’re going to be ready to beat that top team and go in with a chip on our shoulder. You want to talk about a big win? That’s a huge thing for us. It’s going to be a really big deal, so I’m sure all the players will be motivated, and I’m definitely going to be motivated to play against them. [someone with] It’s a team with a good name and a winning streak. ”
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Mitchell became the Bolts’ new star in the win over the Road Warriors, posting a double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds, along with six assists and four steals.
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The experienced import pushed Meralco to a 5-3 card with just five minutes of rest.
But Mitchell is better suited to do his job against Batanes Pier import Jack, who has contributed to the team’s impressive 7-1 card.
The Batan Pier reinforcement recorded an incredible double-double with 32 points and 16 rebounds in the team’s most recent win against Ginebra on Wednesday.
A clash between two huge imports is a promising sight, but Meralco coach Luigi Trillo is excited to face a team that has made a complete 180-degree turn since last conference.
“Northport are playing well. They’ve found their rhythm and their import seems to be a good fit, he brings a lot to the table. They’ve found a good rhythm. I found it, made some trades, and those trades helped me and made me more balanced,” Trillo said.
“They’re playing well at 7-1. I was happy with the way we played defense tonight and we’ll have to follow up again. [against them]” he added.
The matchup between Mitchell and Jack begins on Tuesday at the same venue.