A returning force is out to be greeted by a new blood raring to also cement his name as one of the best to have ever walked the PBA court.

Ricardo Ratliffe is set for a homecoming of sorts as he banners Magnolia once more but serving as his welcoming committee is Blackwater and its high-scoring import George King on Thursday, Nov. 28, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Long been wanting to make his return to the Philippine shore, Ratliffe, who spent the last eight years in the Korean Basketball League and as part of its national team as Ra Gun Ah, hopes to power the Hotshots to a winning start in their bid for the elusive title in the 7:30 p.m. affair.

The Bossing, however, have the same thing in mind, especially that they are also raring to pick up from where they left off in the Governors’ Cup, where the late arrival of King put them in contention for a playoff spot but still came up tantalizingly short.

Serving as an appetizer to the interesting clash is an equally entertaining showdown between NorthPort and NLEX at 5 p.m.

Now having the prolific scorer in King right from the get go, Blackwater head coach Jeff Cariaso aims to turn their fortune around and have a strong start after a 0-3 opening last conference came down haunting them in the end.

King, for one, has led the league in scoring in the Governors’ Cup, averaging 40.29 points – including a high of 64 points – and on an impressive 39-percent clip from the four-point territory.

Blackwater, however, lost Troy Rosario to free agency after he signed with Barangay Ginebra, leaving much of the load now to locals Sedrick Barefield, Christian David, RK Ilagan and James Kwekuteye.

Tapping King, who stands at 6-foot-5, and the departure of Rosario, poses size problems for the Bossing this conference especially with the lifting of the height limit on imports – something Ratliffe is surely eager to capitalize.

The 6-foot-8 hulking import was a sheer force inside for the Hotshots back in 2016, which should bode well for their shooters in the likes of Jerrick Ahanmisi and Paul Lee – two of the league’s deadliest four-point shooters.

Meanwhile, two teams who were cramming for late replacements to their imports look to prove that they pressed the right buttons as they gun for winning debuts.

NorthPort will parade G League veteran Kadeem Jack to replace first choice Kavell Bigby Williams while NLEX has tapped Mike Watkins as its import in lieu of NBA veteran Ed Davis.

Also making his return to the Road Warriors is Kevin Alas who is expected to form a potent backcourt combination with Robert Bolick