Meralco Bolts' Akil Mitchell Impressive In Win Versus Busan KCC Egis At EASL Clash Of Champions

The Meralco Bolts showed resilience in their comeback win against Busan KCC Egis, 81-80, at EASL Clash of Champions on Wednesday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. Akil Mitchell, Meralco's new import, had a double-double finish with 33 points, including his game-winning free throw, 22 rebounds, four assists, and one block.

With Mitchell's brilliant debut at the EASL already in the books, Meralco may have found a gem of an import, especially with the upcoming PBA Commissioner's Cup on November 27 just around the corner.

"Akil [Mitchell] is a special talent. Very humble off the court and a fierce competitor on the court as we seen last game. His basketball IQ is really high and he can pick things up quickly," Meralco Bolts captain Chris Newsome said. "With him having a great attitude and showing true professionalism since he arrived, it shows he is indeed the right person for our organization."

The Meralco Bolts will face KCC again on December 18 at the Busan Sajik Gymnasium in Busan, South Korea.

Chris Newsome on Akil Mitchell: 'I'm excited to have him and he's gonna do a lot of great things for Meralco'

With the departure of Allen Durham after Meralco's game against the Ryukyu Golden Kings in Okinawa, the Meralco Bolts tapped Akil Mitchell, a seasoned veteran who has played in New Zealand, France, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Germany, Japan, and China.

Mitchell went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft and played in the NBA Summer League in 2014 and 2015. He was also part of the Panama men's national basketball team in 2016.

Since Akil Mitchell arrived in Meralco, veteran Chris Newsome has been impressed with the 32-year-old Panamanian-American.

"He's a great player, a great team player, from what I've seen so far. He's a big body but he can definitely move. And you know, that thing that I like about him, he's a vocal guy," Newsome said in an exclusive interview after his first-ever fan meet on November 9. "Even though he just got here, you can hear his voice on a lot of possessions defensively. And that's really important for big guys to be able to use their voice and become that defensive anchor."

"So, I'm excited to have him and he's gonna do a lot of great things for Meralco," the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup Finals MVP added.