Coach Luigi Trillo describes Mocon as a 'good kid' who he had admired from a distance since his college days with the San Beda Red Lions in the NCAA.
The 35-year-old guard out of Ateneo is already an unrestricted free agent as a member of the 2015 draft class, but opted to remain as a Bolt.
As per multiple sources by SPIN.ph, negotiations for the sale of the franchise lock, stock, and barrel between the Batang Pier and the team’s official buyer Pureblends Corp. was completed to the tune of PhP 90 million, reportedly paid in two tranches.
Almazan played six games for the Elasto Painters in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup after going AWOL due to a misunderstanding with Rain or Shine head coach Caloy Garcia. The two patched things up during the offseason but it appears the relationship never fully mended.
Now 36, Almazan remains a vital cog in the Bolts’ frontcourt rotation along with fellow veterans Cliff Hodge and Kyle Pascual, Toto Jose, and young gun Brandon Bates.
League commissioner Willie Marcial announced that plans to sell the Dyip franchise to the Zamboanga Valientes fell through as the two teams failed to strike an agreement.
In an interview with DWAR Abante Radyo’s Sports Now program, the Gilas Pilipinas mainstay expressed nothing but gratitude for the team that drafted him in 2015.
The Bolts have opted not to renew Pasaol’s contract, effectively closing the chapter of his professional stint in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The decision paves the way for the former UE Warriors star to continue his basketball career with the Lanterns.
"We’ve already met with Terrafirma and it’s almost a done deal," said Navarro about the ongoing negotiations with the Dyip management led by team governor Bobby Rosales.
The 37-year-old power forward who rose from a small basketball program to build a 12-year PBA career with seven professional ballclubs said he is moving to the MPBL to play for the Pangasinan Heatwave once his Terrafirma contract ends at the end of the month.
Reyson was taken by the Bolts in the second round of the last rookie draft at No. 23 overall, but didn't play with the team outright to finish his contract obligations in the MPBL where he played for two-time champion Pampanga Giant Lanterns.
Coach Trillo, who got his appointment on the first week of May, let go of forward Mac Belo to get the rights to Torres. The 6-foot-6 slotman from La Salle was expected to beef up the Bolts’ frontline led by Raymond Almazan and Cliff Hodge.
"I had to sacrifice a lot to be able to be in this position because I turned down my contract with France to be able to do that." the 6-foot-11 slotman relayed to One Sports in an exclusive interview.
It was Vucinic who designed the final play for Chris Newsome to take the winning shot with 3.3 seconds left in Game Six of the Finals last 16 June 2024. Meralco called a timeout after June Mar Fajardo knocked down a miracle three to tie it, 78-all.
Given the history of Rain or Shine of not giving in to the player's unreasonable demands, it might be logical for them to just trade him and get something in return instead of holding on to his reights for eternity.
The Bolts gave a two-year deal to the UAAP champion player out of University of the Philippines (UP), who was the team’s first round pick (no. 9 overall) in the recent draft.
With Newsome being part of the 2015 Draft class that will be eligible for unrestricted free agency, Meralco effectively loses its rights on the 33-year-old swingman.
