Nenad Vucinic sees Jason Brickman as a key addition for Meralco ahead of their do-or-die EASL clash

For Meralco, the equation is brutally clear: win big or go home.

With a historic East Asia Super League playoff berth on the line, the Bolts are pushing all their chips to the center of the table for a do-or-die showdown against the Ryukyu Golden Kings on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the final day of the EASL Home and Away Season 3 group stage.

At the heart of Meralco’s high-stakes gamble is rookie guard Jason Brickman. The Bolts are entrusting their Season 50 first-round pick with the biggest game of their EASL campaign, banking on the newcomer’s poise and experience to steady the ship in a matchup that offers zero margin for error.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.

Brickman teams up with import Cady Lalanne, who was tapped to replace the injured Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, as part of a short-term reinforcement move aimed squarely at this playoff push. Both players are on loan from NLEX and will be immediately inserted into a veteran-laden rotation that includes Justin Brownlee, Ismael Romero, Sina Vahedi, CJ Cansino, Chris Banchero, Cliff Hodge, Aaron Black, Brandon Bates, Bong Quinto, and Raymond Almazan.

Meralco is also hoping for a timely boost from Chris Newsome, who is working his way back from an MCL injury that sidelined him late in the Philippine Cup semifinals.

Bolts consultant Nenad Vucinic has been vocal about his confidence in Brickman, describing the rookie as a key addition to the backcourt.

“Jason hasn’t been practicing very long with us but one thing you get from an older rookie is the experience. He is smart, and just the overall quality of the player and he is a good leader in terms of organizing the team, makes the right decisions,” Vucinic said.

Brickman, 34, starred at Long Island University in the NCAA, where he remains one of only four players in Division I history to tally 1,000 assists. He is no stranger to Philippine basketball, having previously suited up for San Miguel Alab Pilipinas and competing in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).

Jason Brickman putting up shots at the Meralco practice facility. The 34 y/o playmaker just signed a 1-year contract with the Bolts. Though already loaded with guards, the 2025 Mpbl Finals MVP will unquestionably be a difference-maker for them. pic.twitter.com/QeBPIRXJDY

— PBA insider 🏀 (@PBAinsider) February 1, 2026

“Jason’s a good pick and roll player, a good passer who can shoot the ball. I think he will be a good addition for us,” Vucinic added.

Head coach Luigi Trillo echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that Brickman’s age was never a deterrent during the draft process.

“Jason fell in the draft to us at the seventh pick, and although we had the oldest team in the PBA at the time of the draft, when you round off our team’s age, we still chose to draft him despite his age. We had to draft Jason and take that risk because of his body of work as a pro,” Trillo said.

“He is an experienced veteran, so he’s not exactly a rookie. It’s kind of like Caelan Tiongson of Rain or Shine, who fell to sixth in the draft because of his age din. He brings a lot to the table.

“Hopefully, he can adjust right away and adapt to the PBA, EASLs, and BCL’s type of play. In the PBA there are a lot of the top teams that have a lot of depth in their lineup. We have to try to keep at pace and I think Jason’s decision making on the court elevates our team decision making. He makes our roster now have more depth,” he concluded.

Still, Ryukyu looms as a formidable roadblock. The Golden Kings ride a four-game winning streak into the clash and already hold an 81-72 victory over Meralco from their earlier meeting in Okinawa.

And for the Bolts, simply winning won’t suffice.

Meralco must defeat Ryukyu by at least six points to stay alive. A win by five or fewer ends their campaign, as does a loss. A 20-point blowout, however, would dramatically alter the standings—catapulting the Bolts to the top seed in Group B and forcing Ryukyu and Taoyuan into a quotient battle for the final quarterfinal berth.

Anything less would add another painful near-miss to Meralco’s long pursuit of an EASL breakthrough. On Wednesday night, the Bolts won’t just be facing an opponent—they’ll be up against the numbers, the moment, and the weight of history.

👉 Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!

📌 Follow our Facebook page Sports News PH today and join the community of passionate sports fans.