TWO games into the Commissioners Cup and winning both—one by a mile and the other by an amazing escape—and the Hong Kong Bay Area Dragons are on mission to conquer the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
“They aren’t here to participate but to compete in our prestigious league,” San Miguel Beer’s nine-time champion coach Leo Austria told BusinessMirror on Sunday. “I believe they are on mission here.”
The Bay Area Dragons are lethal behind American reinforcement Myles Blake Powell. He erupted with 41 points and eight rebounds in Hongkong’s 133-87 rout of Blackwater on Wednesday and on Saturday sank a buzzer-beating three-pointed to lift his team to past NorthPort, 105-104.
“Powell can control the game. He showed it especially against NorthPort when he hit that game winner,” said Austria of the prolific former Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard who also exploded with 37 points against the Batang Pier.
“He will be the marked man in this league for sure and we’ll be ready for him,” Austria added.
The Beermen debuts in the Commisioner’s Cup against the Blackwater Bossing on October 5 and their much-awaited game against the Bay Dragons is on October 16.
Besides Powell, San Miguel Beer’s six-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo and import Thomas Robinson, also a former National Basketball Association player, will have to contend with the Bay Dragon’s 7-foot-5 center, Chinese Chuanxing Liu.
Against Powell, Austria said they have to maximize the effort of CJ Perez, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter on both ends.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel head coach Tim Cone are also bracing for the Bay Area Dragons.
“They are certainly looking tough, and Powell, with his size, presents mismatches to the other imports,” said Cone, as he expects resident import Justin Brownlee to have his hands full agains the Hongkong team.
Cone believes the Bay Dragons are adapting and learning.
“They will be a tough nut to crack over the coming games,” he said.
The Gin Kings will face the Bay Area Dragons on October 9 at the PhilSports Arena.
Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer and runner-up TNT Tropang Giga will be playing in the home-and-away East Asia Super League along with the HK Bay Area Dragons starting on October 12.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, meanwhile, canceled Sunday’s games at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City because of Super Typhoon Karding. Meralco was supposed to face NLEX at 4:30 p.m. and Converge was scheduled against Ginebra.