San Miguel Beermen are hoping to bring back import Chris McCullough for the season-opening PBA Governors' Cup in October, but coach Jorge Gallent isn't holding his breath.
McCullough led the Beermen to the Commissioner's Cup crown in 2019 but hasn't been back since, even as he has repeatedly made it known on social media that he is willing to be naturalized for Gilas Pilipinas.
He is currently playing for the Formosa Taichin Dreamers in Taiwan.
"We'd like to get 'C-Mac' (McCullough), but I think we're having problems," Gallent said Sunday night.
"Of course, 'C-Mac' is always our choice, but it's not looking that good. But I wish he comes. I wish we can settle with 'C-Mac' and we'll see what happens."
Should McCullough be unavailable, Gallent said they already have three import candidates on their list.
"We have three but it has to be step-by-step," he explained. "We're trying to get this guy first, and then if nothing happens, the second one. And then we have the third one.
"The good thing is we have three good imports who will be able to fit with us in this coming conference."
Gallent declined to identify the three, only saying that none of them are PBA returnees.
The Beermen's campaign in the PBA On Tour ended on a down note after they lost to Terrafirma Dyip 85-72 to close out their record at a dismal 3-8.
The Beermen entered this preseason tournament with modest expectations, as they were without regulars June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Chris Ross, Simon Enciso, and Marcio Lassiter, while Terrence Romeo and Mo Tautuaa only played a few games each due to injuries.
Instead, Gallent used this run to give exposure to their 3x3 players, as well as test some free agents.
While they didn't exactly embarrass themselves, some of their losses frustrated the coach.
"We just wanted to learn how to compose ourselves in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter," Gallent stressed, regarding their loss to Terrafirma.
"I think before this game, we lost by two points in five games. So we need to get better at that.
"This game was close again. It was tied in the last six minutes or we were down by one, and then it was an 8-0 run -- the same like in (the previous 95-65 loss to) Magnolia (Hotshots).
"The game was playing around seven, nine points. Then, (in the) last six minutes, they made a 14-0 run.
"So it's really how to close out games which I wanted them to learn. And we did not. So we gotta focus on that this coming regular season.
"We're doing the same mistakes. We weren't improving. So that was our main frustration -- how to get well with the mistakes we were doing. That was the downside."
Gallent, though, was happy with the output of his four veterans, who carried much of the load for the team, while also recognizing the sacrifices of the 3x3 players, who were forced into 5x5 duty to fill rosters spots.
Some of the 3x3 players were so fatigued by the grind that they begged off from the tour midway to concentrate on the PBA's 3x3 tournament.
Gallent continued: "The upside, the four regular guys that played (Jericho Cruz, Rodney Brondial, Allyn Bulanadi and Noy Baclao) got into shape. They played the way they're supposed to play.
"The 3x3 team, they're already kind of tired. They practice twice a day. They have games and then they practice with me, so I think (there was) fatigue factor. When you're tired, you don't make good decisions."
With the tour behind them, the 5x5 team will take a one-month break before reconvening for the coming season.
Fajardo and Perez will rejoin them after their Gilas Pilipinas duties.
"We have a month off so we just have to relax," Gallent said. "And when those guys (Fajardo and Perez) come, we have to work on (improving)."