(From Manila Bulletin)
Games Sunday (Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. – Sta. Lucia vs Air21
6:30 p.m. – San Miguel vs Ginebra
One way to measure if a team is a title contender is to pit it against defending champion San Miguel Beer.
Whether Barangay Ginebra is indeed a contender will be known this Sunday when the Kings take on the Beermen in the PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
In a rematch of last season’s Finals, the league-leading San Miguel (4-1) meets Ginebra (3-1) at 6:30 p.m., right after the 4 o’clock game between struggling teams Sta. Lucia Realty and Air21, both carrying 1-4 win-loss cards.
“If you want to be contenders for the championship, you have to be able to compete with San Miguel,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico, whose team lost to SMB in a thrilling seven-game Finals series in this same conference last season.
Ginebra has won back-to-back games, dealing Coca-Cola its first setback this conference with a 98-91 victory last April 4 before hacking out a come-from-behind win against Rain or Shine, 100-98, in Victorias City, Negros Occidental last week.
In that road-game presented by Phoenix Fuel, Rudy Hatfield played for Ginebra, his first game after almost three years in the United States.
After playing just three minutes against Rain or Shine, the 6-foot-3 Hatfield is expected to have more playing time with forward JC Intal out with an injury. Intal had a broken nose and had hurt his tail bone after a bad fall during practice last Friday.
San Miguel, on the other hand, has won its last three assignments, including a 95-89 overtime victory against Alaska last Sunday.
It’s going to be an interesting match-up between two versatile imports, as San Miguel will rely on last year’s Best Import winner Gabe Freeman while Ginebra will have NBA veteran Awvee Storey, who scored 40 points and grabbed 25 rebounds in their previous game.
The locals will also have to step up for the Kings and the Beermen in their rematch.
While San Miguel will have Dondon Hontiveros, Arwind Santos, Danny Ildefonso, Jay Washington, Mic Pennisi, Dorian Pena as well as new recruits Alex Cabagnot and Joseph Yeo, Ginebra will also lean on the likes of last season’s MVP Jayjay Helterbrand, Mark Caguioa, Ronald Tubid, Eric Menk, Celino Cruz, Rico Villanueva, Cyrus Baguio, and Hatfield.
The second game, on the other hand, feature two teams which are aiming to to end similar three-game skids.
Both teams are coming off separate setbacks - Sta. Lucia lost to Talk ‘N Text, 89-102, while Air21 absorbed a 105-95 beating from Alaska.
Meantime, Former PBA commissioner Rodrigo “Rudy” Salud will grace today’s games along with members of the Toyota and U-Tex teams – two of the four teams which played a double-header on opening day on April 9, 1975 – headed by former senator Robert Jaworski.
A trendy Suzuki motorcycle from Norkis awaits a lucky fan as the league winds up its week-long 35th anniversary celebration.
Other giveaways include 1 Extreme Magic Sing, 10 short-term scholarship plans from Informatics and 5 Molten basketball.
The Bingo Bola ng PBA also offers P35,000 on the first draw, P10,000 on the second draw and P5,000 on the third draw. Singers Luke Mijares and Paolo Santos will perform at the break.
Games Sunday (Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. – Sta. Lucia vs Air21
6:30 p.m. – San Miguel vs Ginebra
One way to measure if a team is a title contender is to pit it against defending champion San Miguel Beer.
Whether Barangay Ginebra is indeed a contender will be known this Sunday when the Kings take on the Beermen in the PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
In a rematch of last season’s Finals, the league-leading San Miguel (4-1) meets Ginebra (3-1) at 6:30 p.m., right after the 4 o’clock game between struggling teams Sta. Lucia Realty and Air21, both carrying 1-4 win-loss cards.
“If you want to be contenders for the championship, you have to be able to compete with San Miguel,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico, whose team lost to SMB in a thrilling seven-game Finals series in this same conference last season.
Ginebra has won back-to-back games, dealing Coca-Cola its first setback this conference with a 98-91 victory last April 4 before hacking out a come-from-behind win against Rain or Shine, 100-98, in Victorias City, Negros Occidental last week.
In that road-game presented by Phoenix Fuel, Rudy Hatfield played for Ginebra, his first game after almost three years in the United States.
After playing just three minutes against Rain or Shine, the 6-foot-3 Hatfield is expected to have more playing time with forward JC Intal out with an injury. Intal had a broken nose and had hurt his tail bone after a bad fall during practice last Friday.
San Miguel, on the other hand, has won its last three assignments, including a 95-89 overtime victory against Alaska last Sunday.
It’s going to be an interesting match-up between two versatile imports, as San Miguel will rely on last year’s Best Import winner Gabe Freeman while Ginebra will have NBA veteran Awvee Storey, who scored 40 points and grabbed 25 rebounds in their previous game.
The locals will also have to step up for the Kings and the Beermen in their rematch.
While San Miguel will have Dondon Hontiveros, Arwind Santos, Danny Ildefonso, Jay Washington, Mic Pennisi, Dorian Pena as well as new recruits Alex Cabagnot and Joseph Yeo, Ginebra will also lean on the likes of last season’s MVP Jayjay Helterbrand, Mark Caguioa, Ronald Tubid, Eric Menk, Celino Cruz, Rico Villanueva, Cyrus Baguio, and Hatfield.
The second game, on the other hand, feature two teams which are aiming to to end similar three-game skids.
Both teams are coming off separate setbacks - Sta. Lucia lost to Talk ‘N Text, 89-102, while Air21 absorbed a 105-95 beating from Alaska.
Meantime, Former PBA commissioner Rodrigo “Rudy” Salud will grace today’s games along with members of the Toyota and U-Tex teams – two of the four teams which played a double-header on opening day on April 9, 1975 – headed by former senator Robert Jaworski.
A trendy Suzuki motorcycle from Norkis awaits a lucky fan as the league winds up its week-long 35th anniversary celebration.
Other giveaways include 1 Extreme Magic Sing, 10 short-term scholarship plans from Informatics and 5 Molten basketball.
The Bingo Bola ng PBA also offers P35,000 on the first draw, P10,000 on the second draw and P5,000 on the third draw. Singers Luke Mijares and Paolo Santos will perform at the break.
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