ALASKA faces Blackwater and Rain or Shine meets Magnolia on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena before the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup goes on a two-week break for Team Pilipinas’s crucial campaign in the sixth and final window of the Fiba World Cup qualifiers.
The Alaska-Blackwater match is set at 4:30 p.m., while the clash between Magnolia and Rain or Shine kicks off at 7 p.m. Action in the season-opening conference won’t resume until February 27 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, when Meralco tangles with Columbian Dyip and Phoenix goes up against NorthPort.
“There’s no turning back in our support for the national team—the PBA is all-out to support Team Pilipinas,” PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial said. Team Pilipinas is currently preparing for its last two must-win games in the qualifiers against Qatar and Kazakhstan, respectively.
The Filipinos are currently in fourth spot in Group F with an even 5-5 won-lost record, hoping to earn a berth in this year’s World Cup to be held in China in September.
The team leaves for Doha, Qatar, on February 16 and will play the host country on February 21. It travels to Astana on February 22 to battle Kazakhstan on February 24.
The Elasto Painters (6-1 won-lost) hope to take command and follow up on their overtime conquest of the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 98-94, in the process dealing their victims their first loss in six outings. Beau Belga and Kris Rosales each had 16 points, while Maverick Ahanmisi and Raymond Almazan added 13 and 12, respectively, for the Elasto Painters
Head Coach Caloy Garcia reminded his team that sustaining their form could get harder as the conference gets more crucial, especially after the long layoff. “We can’t be complacent. We know it’s going to be harder each game. We just have to stick to the system,” Garcia said.
The Hotshots, on the other hand, just couldn’t seem to get their rhythm after winning the Governors’ Cup. They are 0-2 so far.
Magnolia bowed to defending champion San Miguel Beer, 92-113, also last Sunday as Arwind Santos and Terrence Romeo combined for 52 points for the Beermen.
“We are not yet in the rhythm,” Magnolia Coach Chito Victolero admitted. “Most of our opponents already had six, seven or eight games. We are just starting the conference.
“But it’s not an excuse. I told my players that we must find our chemistry again,” Victolero added.