Coke gets high-leaper as new PBA import

MANILA, Philippines - The Coca-Cola Tigers tapped a new import recently, just in time for their best-of-three quarterfinals series with the Magnolia Beverage Masters in the Smart-Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference on Sunday. Brandon Dean, a 28-year-old high-leaper, replaced Donald Copeland, the other half of the Tigers’ import combination who left the country in a huff last July 3 to attend an important custody case in the US. The Tigers’ new six-foot-two reinforcement will be the third partner of import Jason Dixon after George Gervin Jr. and Copeland. “He’s alright," was all Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis could say upon watching Dean at practice. Reports on the Internet say that Dean owns a 39-inch vertical leap. He was also named the Continental Basketball Association playoffs Most Valuable Player after steering the Oklahoma Cavalry to the 2007-08 championship last March against the Minot Skyrockets. Former Air21 import Shawn Daniels was Dean’s teammate with the Cavalry. The Tigers and Beverage Masters begin their quarterfinals series on Sunday at the Astrodome. Meanwhile, the Tigers put on the unrestricted free agent list former league Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kenneth Duremdes and Mac Caceres. Earlier, Red Bull also did the same by waiving big man Mark Andaya for Reed Juntilla while Talk ’N Text let go of Felix Belano to sign up ex-Adamson stalwart Jonathan de Guzman. - GMANews.TV