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PUREFOODS Tender Juicy Hotdog might unveil the newest
member of the Giants today in Romel Adducul when it
faces Welcoat Paints in the Talk ‘N Text-Philippine
Basketball Association (PBA) Fiesta Conference at the
Ynares Center.
But the
real focus will be on
Alaska,
which tries to gain a foothold on the second semifinals
berth by beating Sta. Lucia Realty in the penultimate
playdate of the eliminations.
RICO VILLANUENA (second
from left), shipped from Red Bull to San Miguel Beer,
looks like he’s having fun with former Ateneo teammate
Wesley Gonzales, Kiko Adriano and Gabby Espinas on his
first day at the Beermen bench Wednesday night. The
Express won the game, 109-107. -- NONOY
LACZA
Adducul
could enter the record books as the only player to don
the uniforms of all three San Miguel Corp. (SMC)
franchises in the PBA. Formerly of Barangay Ginebra and
San Miguel Beer, the 31-year-old center was traded to
the Giants for forward Don Camaso after just one game
with Red Bull.
The
Barakos, who raised eyebrows around the league by
trading the 26-year-old franchise slotman Enrico
Villanueva to San Miguel for Adducul earlier in the
week, secured the first semifinals slot in the
season-ending conference by beating Coca-Cola, 105-103,
Wednesday night.
Adducul—five
years Villanueva’s senior—was in street clothes and sat
behind the Red Bull bench in that game, but is expected
to be in hoop gear tonight as Purefoods seeks to break a
tie with Sta. Lucia and secure a spot in the wild-card
round.
Sports
agent Ed Ponceja said Adducul was still doubtful for the
game, while Camaso was advised not to report to the
Purefoods camp. Both players are his clients.
The
Giants and the Realtors have identical 5-12 win-loss
records, but Purefoods would advance outright to the
wild-card round only if it beats the lowly Dragons
(4-13) in the 4:35 p.m. game and Sta. Lucia falls to the
Aces in the 7:20 p.m. match.
Coach
Tim Cone will certainly apply the whip on his wards, who
lost to the Barakos, 103-113, on Saturday and fell into
a three-way tie for second place with Talk ’N Text and
Ginebra on similar 11-6 slates.
To get
the second semifinals ticket outright, Alaska has to win
tonight and hope both the Phone Pals and the Kings lose
to San Miguel and Air21, respectively, in the last
elimination-round playdate on Sunday at the Araneta
Coliseum.
With
the Aces up-and-down form as of late, Cone won’t be too
confident of repeating their 103-88 victory over the
Realtors on May 15 in the first elimination round.
Rookie coach Boyet Fernandez, meanwhile, will be
pressured to steer Sta. Lucia to victory and into the
next round.
The same
goes for Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio, who will have to
assimilate Adducul into the squad that beat the Dragons
handily, 92-84, on May 8.
Welcoat,
however, could play spoiler to the Giants hopes of
advancing as it tries to close its first season in the
PBA with a flourish and give coach Leo Austria something
to look forward to. |
