TERRENCE Romeo is headed to a new team in the Philippine Basketball Association.
After a month of speculations and negotiations, GlobalPort has decided to part ways with its longtime star Romeo as it dealt away the flamboyant scorer.
The Batang Pier shipped Romeo to TNT KaTropa in exchange for the Texters’ top pick Moala Tautuaa.
Along with Romeo, GlobalPort also sent center Yousef Taha to the Texters with the Batang Pier receiving a 2020 first round pick and a 2021 second-round pick in addition to Tautuaa.
The PBA already confirmed and approved the transaction.
This deal was already discussed as early as late last season, but it only came to fruition yesterday.
The final nail in Romeo’s coffin as a Batang Pier was when it had a heated shouting match with GlobalPort coach Pido Jarencio in the team’s lone game in the quarterfinals last month.
Romeo was also reported to be unhappy with GlobalPort as he allegedly sought for a trade before the season started.
Either way, the spitfire is now headed to his second team where he is expected to form what could be the league’s best backcourt in tandem with Jayson Castro in the Texters’ camp.
“It’s sad to let go one of hottest players in the land, but we will not stand in the way of one’s desire and happiness. So with a heavy heart, we are trading our top star,” said GlobalPort Team manager Bonnie Tan.
“This is a win-win solution for us and the camp of Terrence. We have so much respect for the guy, but we, as a team, must also move on towards our main goal which is to get better and contend for our first-ever championship. Besides, Tautuaa could be the missing link to our championship aspiration,” added Tan.
Meanwhile, will it be a series again or will San Miguel Beer move closer to securing a date with history?
The Beermen hope it’s the latter as they gun for a commanding 3-1 lead even as Magnolia aims to equalize in Game 4 of their best-of-seven championship battle in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup.
The two protagonists meet again tonight at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with the result of Game 4 dictating if it will be lengthy series or a short one.
San Miguel Beer is in a good spot right now in its quest for a historic fourth straight All-Filipino crown.
“We are getting closer but the job is still not done. We need to keep our focus and keep fighting,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.
San Miguel got the vital edge it is enjoying now by demolishing Magnolia, 111-87, in Game 3 Sunday using a huge avalanche in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, JuneMar Fajardo is set to be named as the Best Player of the Conference prior to the start of Game 4.
This pending BPC win will make Fajardo the first player in league history to win six BPC awards, surpassing his mentor Danny Ildefonso in the process.
