Seven years after his last tenure in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Ricardo Ratliffe makes a triumphant return to the domestic professional league, going head-to-head against fellow returning PBA import, George King.
Ratliffe and King will be in the limelight as Magnolia and Blackwater compete in the 7:30 p.m. matchup during the second play date of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Thursday.
An exhilarating confrontation is anticipated between these two of the five returning imports in the tournament, excluding San Miguel Beer, as coach Jorge Gallent has yet to finalize his choice.
The other esteemed veterans in the league include Justin Brownlee of Barangay Ginebra, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson from TNT, and Cameron Clark of Hong Kong Eastern.
In previous stints with the PBA, Ratliffe established himself as a formidable presence in the paint, while King garnered attention for his shooting accuracy from long range and effective drives to the basket during his time as a reinforcer for Blackwater in the recent Governors’ Cup.
Notably, both Magnolia and Blackwater concluded the last conference with a 5-5 win-loss record.
This performance enabled the Hotshots to secure a playoff position as the fourth seed from Group A, trailing the TNT Tropang Giga (8-2), the Meralco Bolts (7-3), and the Converge FiberXers (6-4).
Conversely, Blackwater, despite the same win-loss record, fell short of advancing past the elimination round, losing to NLEX in a tiebreaker for the fourth spot in Group B. Rain or Shine led the group at 7-3, followed by San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra, both of which finished at 6-4.
King arrived as a substitute import for Ricky Ledo, guiding the Bossing to a commendable five wins against two losses, which was sufficient for team owner Dioceldo Sy to request his return for the Commissioner’s Cup.
Given their placement in different groups during the Governors’ Cup, the Hotshots and the Bossing are to meet for the first time in this upcoming clash.
Blackwater showcased a commendable performance in the Governors’ Cup, with King receiving significant support from Sedrick Barefield, James Kwekuteye, Bradwyn Guinto, Jewel Ponferrada, Jaydee Tungcab, and Tyrus Hills.
Meanwhile, Magnolia benefited from the consistent contributions of Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Ian Sangalang, Calvin Abueva, Arios Dionisio, alongside the rising star, young forward Zavier Lucero.
Their journey ended in disappointment as they narrowly missed the Final Four, suffering a 113-103 defeat to the Elasto Painters in a decisive Game Five of the quarterfinals.