PBA to return with a bang
AFTER a long 10-day break during the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, the PBA Commissioner’s Cup returns with an explosive doubleheader at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, Jan. 5.
Defending champion San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra, two of the league’s winningest and more popular teams, take the floor in the featured encounter at 7:30 p.m.
The Beermen and the Kings are both looking to win the match and start their campaign in this import-flavored conference in the new year on a bright note.
The Kings are currently sitting pretty in the middle of the standings with a 4-2 win-loss record, while the Beermen carry an even 3-3 slate.
This will also be the first meeting between the two teams since the Governors’ Cup semifinals, where Ginebra eliminated San Miguel in six action-packed games.
And despite the holidays, Ginebra coach Tim Cone expressed confidence the Kings can sustain the momentum of their inspiring 95-92 win over Magnolia Hotshots in their Christmas Day Manila Clasico showdown last Dec. 25 also at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Kings battled their way back from the depth of a 22-point deficit to stun the Hotshots before a wildly-cheering Christmas Day crowd.
“It’s hard when you come into the game and be in a must win. That puts a lot of pressure,” said Cone in an interview published in the official PBA website.
“And now we’re coming to San Miguel feeling confident and comfortable with our game, we do that, and we usually perform pretty well against them,”added Cone.
Cone, however, reminded his players to keep their focus against a San Miguel side looking to bounce back from a disappointing 91-99 overtime loss against guest team Hong Kong Eastern last Dec. 22 at the Phisports Arena in Pasig.
“Coming off the break, we’ve got San Miguel, which is really very talented. So it doesn’t get any easier.”
The 5 p.m. curtainraiser pitting Meralco agaunst Hong Kong Eastern is just as exciting.
The Bolts have yet to play with a full and healthy line-up in the mid-season conference, and coach Luigi Trillo is hoping to see import Akil Mitchell, Allein Maliksi, Chris Banchero, Raymund Almazan and Brandon Bates back in full harness.
“We’re trying, but we’re a little bit bugbog. The problem is we can’t get a full (lineup). Madami injuries, but tanggap namin yun,” said Trillo.
Games Sunday:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. — Hong Kong Eastern vs. Meralco
7:30 p.m. — San Miguel vs. Ginebra
