Games Today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:30 p.m. – Kia vs Magnolia
7 p.m. – Meralco vs Alaska
By JONAS TERRADO
Dandan will have his hands full in his quest to have a winning start in the biggest coaching position he has ever handled with the Picanto seeking to arrest a 0-2 start against the Hotshots in the 4:30 p.m. contest.
The longtime deputy of Kia team manager Joe Lipa was elevated to the role of head coach after Chris Gavina tendered his resignation before the end of 2017. Dandan was hired as an assistant by the Picanto last November.
His previous head coaching stint was with his alma mater University of the Philippines from 2011 to 2013, but has been a longtime assistant of Lipa and, most recently, with current Maroons mentor Bo Perasol.
Kia hopes to make Dandan’s latest stint start on the right track, but is hard-pressed to display a better showing than in its first two games – a close 119-115 defeat to NLEX last Dec. 20 followed by a frustrating 125-102 setback to Phoenix a week later.
Magnolia is coming off an 89-78 loss to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on Christmas Day marred by its struggles shooting the ball.
Highlighting the Hotshots’ shooting woes against Ginebra was their 4-of-22 clip from rainbow territory, something that coach Chito Victolero would like to see improve in their first game of 2018.
Meanwhile, the Meralco Bolts and Alaska Aces, who like the Picanto have yet to score a victory this conference, face off in the second game at 7 p.m.
Both teams ended 2017 on a sour note, losing to their respective rivals. The Bolts’ fell 103-97 to the defending champion San Miguel Beermen last Dec. 27 after falling short on their 22-point comeback while the Aces absorbed a 106-98 setback to TNT KaTropa two days later.
The Bolts will look to have a better showing in the middle after relying mostly on the outside shot against the Beermen’s June Mar Fajardo. Coach Norman Black had said that his team will have to go mostly on the perimeter to offset the lack of help in the middle.
Meanwhile, the Aces are encountering another slow start like in the last two conferences, but have been pleased with the way rookie Jeron Teng played in the first two games.
Teng has shown why he was one of college basketball’s premier players, showing steely nerves in his early showing in the pro loop.
