During the season's second round of elimination, the Slashers roster underwent a major revamp following the exit of star center Jack Tanuan, who suffered a kidney disease which left him blind in the right eye. The Slashers management traded back-up center Mike Otto to Pasig Rizal Pirates in exchange for bruiser Lito Aguilar, promoted back-up center Reynel Hugnatan to starter status, and recruited 2 Fil-foreigners in 6-1 combo guard Dean Labayen (who was originally scheduled to play for Barangay Ginebra in the PBA) and 6-8 center Dorian Pena. Both players traced their roots to Negros Occidental. But Labayen only played until the first game of the semifinal round as the Bureau of Immigration cracked down on Fil-foreigner players who were found to be fake or lacking work documents.