PBA: Malick Diouf to reinforce TNT in semis Game 3 vs. Meralco 

With Bol Bol out injured, TNT is turning to newly-naturalized Malick Diouf to reinforce the Tropang 5G at least in Game 3 of its PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup semifinals series against Meralco on Sunday.

Team manager Jojo Lastimosa confirmed the development as TNT looks to regain the series upper hand after losing both Game 2 and Bol on Friday.

"Diouf for one game, pending paper submission," Lastimosa said in a message to GMA News Online.

Diouf, once the foreign student-athlete for the University in the Philippines in the UAAP, just secured his Filipino citizenship after his naturalization bid lapsed into law last May 18, making him eligible to represent the Philippines in an international tournament.

However, his first tour of duty since acquiring that Filipino citizenship will be helping TNT regain the series lead over the Bolts, who secured an 87-76 Game 2 win after taking advantage of a depleted TNT roster that lost Bol to a suspected partial Achilles tendon tear in the first half.

Diouf is a former UAAP MVP, after having won the top plum in Season 85, where the Fighting Maroons fell short of defending the crown after Ateneo de Manila University won that year's title.

The center is also a one-time Finals MVP in Season 84, where UP delivered a historic men's basketball title after 36 years.

Prior to choosing Diouf, TNT said it is eyeing either Marquese Chriss or Darius Days as an import to replace Bol.

—JKC, GMA News