P. LEAGUE+ & T1 LEAGUE/Filipino pro basketballer Robert Bolick to join T1 LEAGUE: Reports

Taipei, Jan. 31 (CNA) Filipino professional basketball player Robert Bolick is set to join Taiwan's T1 LEAGUE, according to online reports this week, following speculation after the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) standout missed the first three games of the league's ongoing Governors' Cup.

"Multiple sources confirmed to Daily Tribune that the star playmaker had already started packing his bags for a short assignment in the professional league in Taiwan," the English-language broadsheet publication in the Philippines said in an online report Sunday.

Bolick's stint in Taiwan is said to be "very short" with the possibility of being back in the PBA by May, according to the report.

According to Philippine sports news and social media blog Fastbreak.com.ph on Monday, Bolick's contract with the PBA's NorthPort Batang Pier expires on Jan. 31 and his reported deal with a T1 LEAGUE-based team is only until May.

Instagram sports account Midnight Sports, which has been accurate with most of its predictions on player movements, hinted that Bolick is joining T1 LEAGUE's Taichung Suns.

The Suns on Tuesday did not confirm or deny Bolick is set to join the team, and told CNA to wait for an official statement from the club.

The 27-year-old 1.82-meter-tall guard, who has played for the Philippines national team, averaged 10 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 19.4 minutes over two games in the first round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers last year.

Meanwhile in the PBA this season, Bolick emerged as the top local scorer in the Commissioner's Cup, which ended this month, by posting an average of 21.67 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 41.24 minutes over 12 games with NorthPort Batang Pier.

Bolick has missed the team's first three games in the ongoing PBA Governors' Cup.

Nick King joins DEA

Also set to join the T1 LEAGUE is former San Miguel Alab Pilipinas world import player Nick King, who will be playing forward for the New Taipei CTBC DEA, according to the Taiwan club on Monday.

The 2.03-meter-tall King, 27, played for Philippine-based Alab in the ASEAN Basketball League's 2019-2020 season, which was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

King, also known as "Simba," played in the NBA G League, the NBA's official minor league basketball organization, for the Windy City Bulls in 2022-2023 and the Maine Celtics (formerly the Maine Red Claws) in 2018-2019.

Having started practicing with the DEA on Monday, King said in an online video that his new team has the potential to win the championship and believes he will soon integrate into the team's system.

"I just love the chemistry and the energy the team brings. I see us as a young and exciting team, they've got some great players all around. I'm ready to meet the coaching staff, I'm just excited to get the journey started to try to bring the championship here," King said.

Pilots pocket eighth consecutive home game win

Meanwhile, in the P. LEAGUE+, Taiwan's other professional basketball league, the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots pocketed their eighth consecutive home game win on Tuesday after topping the Hsinchu Jko Lioneers by 18 points 88-70 at Taoyuan Arena.

Lioneers forward Anthony Bennett emerged as the top scorer, posting 30 points and shooting 5-7 from the charity stripe while pulling down 17 boards, dishing out three dimes, grabbing five steals and putting up one block.

Pilots center Jeff Ayres answered with 21 points, 14 rebounds, one assist and one block.

With the win, the Pilots are second in the six-team league standings with a 12-4 record and half a game behind the New Taipei Kings at the top of the table.

The Lioneers are fourth with a 9-10 record and five games back from the Kings.