GAMES TODAY
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. – NorthPort vs. Rain or Shine
7:30 p.m. – SMB vs. Magnolia
SAN Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria is in no illusion that his charges can look past Magnolia.
“It will be a huge game for us against Magnolia but I’m really worried about them because they’re playing a lot better,” Austria said. “They’re in top shape and during our tune-up game, we were able to compete with them, although we lost.
“But we’re so happy because we’re able to level up to the kind of intensity they’re displaying during that time and you can see it in our games,” he added.
Ditto with Hotshots counterpart Chito Victolero, who maintained the Beermen are formidable foes.
“Of course, it’s a good sign (2-0 start). Hopefully, we can do that again but we will just try to take it one game at a time and we will prepare for our next game,” Victolero said.
“Malaking game para sa amin. We’re not thinking ahead. One game at a time muna kami.”
Which team will get the job done will be known when SMB takes on Magnolia tonight in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The nightcap is set at 7:30, with the protagonists both eyeing to keep their winning run going and rise to 3-0 in the season-ending tourney.
NorthPort also guns for a second win in a row against Rain or Shine at 5 o’clock before the pro league takes a one-week break for the Holy Week.
The Beermen will go into the tiff on a high, having scored a 110-98 drubbing of the defending champions Meralco Bolts in a retro duel that celebrated Asia’s pioneering league’s golden anniversary Wednesday last week.
The likes of reigning eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Jeron Teng, Juami Tiongson, Andreas Cahilig, and Don Trollano are tipped to do most of the damage for SMB.
Magnolia also stoked its mark to 2-0 on that same night with an 83-71 triumph over Converge, thanks mainly to Zavier Lucero, Ian Sangalang, Richard Escoto, Calvin Abueva, and Rome Dela Rosa.
“Tingin ko doon kami nagkulang. They shot 61 percent from three-points and 55 percent from two points. Ibig sabihin lang noon kulang ang effort namin sa defense,” Elasto Painters strategist Yeng Guiao said after his side dropped a 95-109 loss to the NLEX Road Warriors last Saturday. “Iyon ang ina-address namin sa practice. We’re hoping na medyo umayos naman iyon against NorthPort.
“Ang problema nga lang namin, maliit kami. Wala kaming malalaki against NorthPort, ang hahaba at ang lalaki noon.”
Rain or Shine has to make do sans big men Beau Belga (vertigo), Luis Villegas (knee), and possibly Keith Datu (calf) suffered in the second quarter of the NLEX match.
The first offering should be a battle of adjustments, while the main clash will be about depth and firepower.
