FLYING V stakes its unblemished record against Marinerong Pilipino at the resumption of the Philippine Basketball Association Developmental League Foundation Cup today at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Coming off a 13-day break, the Thunder will try to shake off the rust and stay on the winning track. They are the only unbeaten team in the tournament at 3-0.
Coach Eric Altamirano believes the 5 p.m. game against the Skippers marks a tough stretch for Flying V midway through the competitions.
“The next three games will be very tough for us. We’ll face Marinero, Racal, and Tanduay, so we’ll use this time to prepare and continue being sharp. Hopefully, we’re not rusty,” he said.
The game also posts an interesting subplot as Thunder forward Gab Banal goes up against his family with father Joel and uncle Koy at the helm for Marinerong Pilipino.
Banal, though, was quick to downplay the situation confronting him.
“I’ll just treat them as a normal team. If I take it personally, I’ll lose focus, so might as well treat them as normal team and get that fourth win. They know what I can do, so I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing and from there I’ll adjust,” Banal said.
The other game at 3 p.m. pits Racal (2-1) against Wangs Basketball (2-2).
The Alibaba are seeking to get back on the winning side after absorbing a 93-75 defeat at the hands of Cignal, their first loss of the tournament.
But the Couriers also want the same, especially after nabbing a huge 88-86 win over Gamboa Coffee Mix last week.