Games Today (Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City)
12 noon – Racal vs MP Hotel
2 p.m. – Bread Story vs Hapee
4 p.m. – AMA U vs MJM
Hapee looks to remain ahead of the pack when it tackles a surging Bread Story in the PBA D-League Aspirant’s Cup today at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
The Fresh Fighters continue to live up to its billing as the league’s team to beat, posting blowout victories in their initial three games.
Hapee coach Ronnie Magsanoc will, however, take their opponent seriously given the fact that the Smashing Bakers have beefed up their line-up with the inclusion of spitfire guard Jiovanni Jalalon to their roster.
The Smashing Bakers posted their first victory in the D-League with a 69-64 victory over the Tanduay Light Rhum Masters just last Thursday.
“Ang mga teams ngayon nagpapalakas ng nagpapalakas. Bread Story, they have added Jalalon to their line-up which makes them very dangerous,” Magsanoc said.
“Yung learning curve, hindi dapat tumitigil yun,” he added.
Another problem that he’ll have to deal with is fatigue for most of his San Beda-based players.
His San Beda core, composed of Baser Amer, Ola Adeogon, Art dela Cruz, JP Mendoza, Ryussei Koga and Michole Sorela, recently returned from Cebu to represent the Red Lions in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League last Saturday.
Whether or not those players will be seeing action today is still a game time decision for Magsanoc and the Hapee management.
In other games, Racal and MJM targets their first victory respectively as they battle separate foes.
Racal takes on MP Hotel in the curtain raiser while MJM takes on AMA University in the final game.