Manila, Philippines — Reigning PBA Philippine Cup champions B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados are feeling the urgent need for a dependable big man to fill the void left by two of its top performing stars, Kerby Raymundo and Marc Pingris.

The Llamados, who will be handled by their new coach Jorge Gallent, will start to defend their Philippine Cup championship starting this October without the two veteran forwards, who will be undergoing two separate arthroscopic operations in the United States and will be expected to miss the rest of the 2010-11 season.

Add to this the fact that its superstar gunner James Yap is also being eyed to don the country’s colors anew with the Smart-Gilas Pilipinas, together with fellow pros Asi Taulava of the Powerade Tigers and Kelly Williams of the Talk ‘n Text Tropang Texters, for the Guangzhou Asian Games this November.

Known for having the luxury of plenty of big mans in its roster, the Llamados suddenly find themselves lacking in ceiling with veterans Don Allado and Rommel Adducul still remaining unsigned by the management. 

To address this, Gallent and his team decided to tap power forward Pari Llagas and the sweet-shooting Val Acuña, both out of the University of the East, from the recent rookie draft. The team also signed Jerwin Gaco, formerly of Barako Bull and one of Gallent’s players in the Philippine Basketball League, to team up with holdovers Niño Canaleta, 2010 Rookie of the Year awardee Rico Maierhofer, and Fil-American Rafi Reavis at the frontcourt.

Llagas is expected to provide the much needed muscle underneath the boards, something that the Llamados will surely be lacking with Pingris and Raymundo out. The 6-foot-4 rookie was a known bruiser and inside operator during his playing days in college, and was instrumental in the Red Warriors amazing run to the UAAP Finals two years ago.

Acuña, on the other hand, will be sharing playing minutes with the two Yaps — James and Roger —as well as Peter June Simon, Chris Timberlake, Jonathan Fernandez, and new acquisition Jonas Villanueva, who was shipped by the San Miguel Beermen in exchange for spitfire Paul Artadi, at the Llamados’ backcourt.

James Yap, as expected, will be leading the defending champions in their quest to prove the odds wrong anew. Shrugging off all the intrigues surrounding his marriage with presidential sister Kris Aquino, Yap is expected to be back to his old, usual self that bagged him his second Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy come tip-off time.