FRESH from a record-breaking attendance of 54,589 fans in Game 7 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals between eventual champion Barangay Ginebra and runner-up Bay Area at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan only last Sunday, the PBA returns with another action-packed, import-flavored conference — the Governors’ Cup — at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Jan. 22.
NorthPort Batang Pier and Converge FiberX, two teams which reached as far as the eight-team quarterfinal round before losing to Ginebra and San Miguel Beer, respectively, clash in the featured game at 6:45 p.m.

Meralco and Rain or Shine square off in the 4:30 p.m. curtainraiser.

Although no formal announcement has been made, NorthPort is expected to be handled by team manager Bonnie Tan, who reportedly switched roles with coach Pido Jarencio.

Tan is fresh from leading the Letran Knights to three straight NCAA championships last month.

Jarencio, who steered the Batang Pier to the semifinals of the 2019 Governors Cup — its best-finish ever — will take the place of Tan.

The Batang Pier will parade Marcus Weathers, a 6-5 forward who played for the Miami Redhawks and Duquesne Dukes during college, while the FiberXers will field Ethan Rusbatch, a 6-5 shooting guard from New Zealand who had stints with Lincoln Trail College in the US.

Meralco is bringing back balik-import KJ MCDaniels, the No. 32 pick of the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2014 NBA Draft, while Rain or Shine is pinning its hopes on Michael Qualls, who played college basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Ginebra, which won the recent PBA Commissioner’s Cup, will make its debut against Rain or Shine on Feb. 5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Newly-naturalized Filipino Justin Brownlee will lead the Gin Kings anew.

Games Sunday:

(Philsports Arena)
4:30 p.m. — Meralco vs. Rain or Shine
6:45 p.m. — Converge vs. NorthPort

AUTHOR PROFILE

Robert Andaya