By Jerome Lagunzad
Game Today
(Ynares Sports Arena)
3 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
4 p.m. – Marinero vs Zark’s Burgers
A pair of top title contenders will open the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup hostilities today as Marinerong Pilipino squares off with Zark’s Burgers in what promises to be a blockbuster showdown at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Game time is at 4 p.m., with the loaded Skippers, featuring some of the top collegiate standouts led by University of the East star Alvin Pasaol, and the Jawbreakers, built around the core of formidable Lyceum Pirates, out to get off to a fine start.
Raising the curtains for the season-opening conference that has lured 11 other squads, most of them school-based, is an hour-long, colorful opening ceremonies spiced up by the presence of the teams’ respective muses.
Then a no-holds-barred encounter will follow suit, with Marinerong Pilipino tipped as slight favorites with the addition of Ateneo standout Vince Tolentino and La Salle counterpart Abu Tratter, who’s been named by Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes to his “#23for23” training pool.
Although they have a distinct advantage in terms of manpower, Skippers coach Koy Banal refused to be swayed, saying:
“It remains to be seen how well we are going to play against one of the top teams this conference. We have a tough work cut for us.”
The Jawbreakers of team manager Bernard Yang, eager to turn things around following a dismal showing the last time out, have enough reason to be excited since they have the likes of reigning NCAA league MVP CJ Perez, Cameroonian Mike Nzeusseu and the Marcelino twins – Jaycee and Jayvee – at their disposal.