LeRoy Hickerson, a slam-dunk champion in the Mexican League, is set to arrive March 10 to join a Whopper team seeking to bounce back from a mediocre campaign in the Philippine Cup. The Whopper were eliminated in the wildcard phase of the ongoing tournament by the Coca-Cola Tigers.
Burger King team manager and PBA chairman Lito Alvarez confirmed the news to Standard Today.
“He played in the Mexican League and James Penny was one among the former PBA players he went up against,” said Alvarez. “Penny’s team got eliminated while LeRoy’s team is still competing in the semifinals.”
Hickerson is a 6’5”, two-time slam-dunk champion in the Mexican LNBP All-Star Game in 2008 and 2009. He worked out with the Memphis Grizzlies last summer and was chosen last year as the Player of the Year, Guard of the Year and Import Player of the Year by Latinbasket.com.
In 41 games last year, Hickerson averaged 19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game while playing for the Halcones UV Xalapa.
Hickerson will be one among the new faces expected to suit up in a tournament which will be composed mostly of returning reinforcements.
Jason Forte, younger brother of NBA player Jason Forte, is trying out a spot for the Coca-Cola Tigers, while Barangay Ginebra is eyeing an import with an interesting story—Awvee Storey.
Sta. Lucia, Rain or Shine and San Miguel Beer have decided to tap their old reliable reinforcements. The Realtors will bring back Anthony Johnson, the Elasto Painters will parade burly import Jai Lewis anew and the Beermen will count on Gabe Freeman again for their title retention bid.
Meanwhile, two PBA teams —Burger King and Coca-Cola—were invited to play in the His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Almaktoum Cup.
Source: Rey Joble | Manila Standard Today
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