Games Today (Ynares Center, Antipolo)
4:15 p.m. – Talk ‘N Text vs Barako Bull
7 p.m. – Alaska vs Rain or Shine
Manila, Philippines – Hell hath no fury like an import scorned? Rain or Shine would hope so.
Beaten a few days ago by a former import they passed up on this conference, the Elasto Painters take on the unbeaten Alaska Aces today in the PBA Governors’ Cup, ranging Wendell McKines against his former ballclub at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Now garbed in San Miguel Beer uniform, Arizona Reid, who previously played for Rain or Shine and faced McKines when he powered the Aces in this same conference two years ago, unloaded 36 points with 11 rebounds and 6 assists against his former team as SMB dumped ROS, 104-91, last Tuesday.
Nobody from the E-Painters would openly say if there was any regret at not bringing back Reid, but tongues could be wagging if McKines fails to achieve the same results against his old team.
The Aces won’t be easy pickings.
Gunning for its third straight win and a share of leadership with GlobalPort, Alaska is coming off a 106-80 rout of Blackwater where import Romeo Travis, a high school teammate of Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James in Akron, Ohio, settled for a quiet 18 points with 12 rebounds after posting 34 points and 16 rebounds in a 108-99 victory over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
McKines showed promise in his debut with Rain or Shine, a 104-91 loss to SMB where the former New Mexico State star had 19 points and 12 rebounds, but he will have his hands full against his former teammates.
In the curtainraiser at 4:15 p.m., Barako Bull similarly shoots for a slice of leadership when it meets Talk ‘N Text, fresh from a thrilling 95-91 win over underhanded Barangay Ginebra.
The Barako Bull Energy are powered by 7-foot Canadian Liam McMorrow, who won his recent duel with Blackwater import and Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player Marcus Douthit, while TNT has Steffphon Pettigrew and Jordanian national Sam Daghles.
McMorrow, a former hockey player who abandoned his original sport after growing seven inches after high school, has been the barometer for big men this conference.