Purefoods’ PJ Simon tries to save the ball from Rain or Shine’s Marcy Arellano and Gabe Norwood as Jay-R Reyes and Don Allado look on during PBA action Sunday. The Giants won, 103-69. (Photo by ALI VICOY)

Games on Wednesday (Araneta Coliseum)
5:00 p.m. — Burger King vs Coca-Cola
7:30 p.m. — Sta. Lucia vs Ginebra

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has decided to drop American import CJ Giles from the Smart-Gilas lineup after concluding that the former US college star has become a liability.

Giles was signed for P8.64 million to play for the Smart-Gilas team and was being groomed for possible naturalization so he could eventually play for the national team.

But the American failed to fulfill the potential the SBP had hoped for.

“The coaching staff (led by Serbian Rajko Toroman) felt that he has underperformed this last month due to a lack of focus and various injuries (sprained right ankle). His presence also in the team no longer has a "positive influence" on his teammates and coaches,” SBP executive director Noli Eala said.

Bothered by the ailment of his three-year-old son and slowed down by a sprained right ankle, the 6-foot-10 Giles performed below par during the team’s past games, prompting the coaching staff to cancel his contract.

“Finally, we believe that CJ may not possess some of the qualifications which we are looking for in the player who will be bestowed citizenship by naturalization,” Eala added.

Giles returned to the US last week.

He helped power Gilas to a fifth-placed finish in the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup last summer in Jakarta, Indonesia. Giles also played three times with Gilas in the PBA.

Meantime, Ginebra hopes to gain a share of the lead when it guns for a fourth straight win against unpredictable Sta. Lucia Realty in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup this Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Despite injuries to key players, including Mark Caguioa and reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jayjay Helterbrand, the Kings are surprisingly at solo second with a 5-1 win-loss card, half-game behind Alaska (6-1).

But the Kings must come out strong early in their 7:30 p.m. encounter if they want to extend their winning streak against a team aching to end its losing run.

The Realtors slipped to sixth place at 3-3 after dropping their last three games – the latest was an 88-69 beating from San Miguel Beer (6-2).

Coca-Cola (1-4), sans the injured Paul Asi Taulava (sprained left ankle), and Burger King (1-5) clash in the 5 p.m. with both teams determined to notch their second win in the tournament.

The Tigers of coach Kenneth Duremdes have a 1-4 mark while the Yeng Guiao-mentored Whoppers have also one win to show in six games.

Ginebra is fresh from an 83-79 win over Burger King last Saturday in the PBA on Tour presented by Phoenix Fuel in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

In that game, Helterbrand returned after missing two games due to a knee injury, but scored only six points in 23 minutes of play.

Without Caguioa and Helterbrand still struggling offensively, Uichico expects another rough sailing against the Realtors.