Meralco is in Group B of the Fiba Asia Champions Cup, which runs from September 27 to October 2 in Nonthaburi, Thailand, and will encounter difficult competition.
Following the draw ceremony on Friday, the Bolts were placed in the same group as reigning champion Al Riyadi of Lebanon, Alvark Tokyo of Japan, and Mono Vampire Basketball Club of Thailand.
On the other hand, all of the teams going into the event had excellent records.
Al Riyadi is a two-time Fiba Asia Champions Cup winner and one of Asia's most illustrious club teams. It won the 2017 tournament in Chenzhou by defeating China Kashgar in the final, and it has 14 domestic titles.
Alvark Tokyo, in the meantime, has just won the B.League title after defeating the Chiba Jets in a one-game final.
San Miguel Alab Pilipinas finished second in the 2017-2018 ABL season, falling in a best-of-five championship match to San Miguel Alab Pilipinas.
The Bolts will play for the Governors' Cup with the same lineup, including immigrant Allen Durham. On the other hand, Meralco is still looking for another import, as teams are allowed to bring two reinforcements to the competition.
Group A of the competition had Taiwan's Pauian Archiland, China's Liaoning Flying Leopards, Korea's SK Knights, and Iran's Petrochimi in it, among other teams.
Meralco’s participation in the Fiba Asia Champions Cup has been canceled, and Al Riyadi has taken the place of the Bolts