Impressive PBA debut for 'undersized' Mo Charlo
Undersized import Maurice Charlo greatly impressed in his debut game for Rain or Shine as he led the Elasto Painters to a 108-105 victory against San Miguel Beer on Friday night.
Standing just a shade below 6-foot-5, the 32-year-old reinforcement scored 35 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while hitting with a 6-of-8 clip from beyond the arc.
Charlo, a National Basketball Association D-League journeyman, is the third import who came in for Rain or Shine in the conference, but it looks like the team found the right fit this time around.
"He's not as big as the other imports but he's a great defender. He has a lot of range," said head coach Yeng Guiao.
Despite the stellar performance, Guiao said Charlo still has more to give when he shakes off his jetlag and spends more time practicing with the team.
"He's in game shape. He's just learning to play with the guys. I think things can look better for us from here on," Guiao said about the veteran journeyman, who just arrived in the country last Tuesday.
Interestingly, Charlo is a close friend of Rain or Shine nemesis Ivan Johnson and revealed asking the former Tropang TNT import about the PBA.
But unlike his pal, who was sent home last month after cursing Commissioner Chito Narvasa, Charlo said he wants to be in the Philippines for a longer period of time.
"It’s a great country, all the fans are great, and I love it here so far. Hopefully I could end my career here and stay here for many years to come," he said.
Charlo said, however, that the humidity of the impending summer is getting to him.
"It’s hot. That’s why I was cramping a little bit," he said. "That’s a new adjustment for me, but I just got to drink a lot of water and keep myself hydrated." — APG, GMA News