MANILA, Philippines -- Meralco head coach Norman Black has no doubt that Chris Banchero will become a vital contributor to their team, even as the veteran endured some growing pains in his first game with the Bolts.

Banchero joined Meralco in free agency earlier this month, shortly before the PBA resumed the Governors' Cup. He sat out against the NLEX Road Warriors last Friday before making his debut on Sunday against Barangay Ginebra.

He came off the bench and played nearly 24 minutes, finishing with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting to go with four rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Banchero was also responsible for four of Meralco's 15 turnovers in the game.

"He came in and contributed," Black said of the 33-year-old Banchero, who joined the Bolts after a brief stint with Phoenix Super LPG.

"He doesn't really know what we're doing yet," the coach added. "And I could see also, defensively, we weren't as smooth because we lost some rotations, because he doesn't really know what we're doing defensively yet."

Black added that Banchero only knew "two or three plays" as far as offense is concerned, but he was not overly concerned at the newcomer's early struggles.

Even with Banchero not at his best, the Bolts still came away with a 101-95 win against the Gin Kings that hiked their record to 4-0 in the conference.

• GAME RECAP: Meralco outlasts Ginebra, stays unbeaten

Moreover, his lack of familiarity with their systems didn't prevent Banchero from making an impact, Black noted.

"He came in and he scored 12 points for us, he gave us some good pressure defense," said the coach.

"I expect that as the days go by, and we get more practice time, he'll get better suited with the team," Black also said. "He's gonna be a big addition to our team."

The Bolts currently share the top spot in the league standings with the Magnolia Hotshots. They play again on Thursday, February 17, against the NorthPort Batang Pier.