With a report from Waylon Galvez
Games Today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:30 p.m. – Meralco vs Kia
7 p.m. – GlobalPort vs San Miguel
Defending champion San Miguel seeks a strong showing before a big showdown with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel this weekend as it faces streaking GlobalPort tonight in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The league-leading Beermen stake their unbeaten run in the 7 p.m. contest against a Batang Pier team that is on a big morale with back-to-back victories despite a 0-2 start and still missing the services of top star Terrence Romeo.
Chris Ross and the rest of the Beermen are also shifting their focus back on staying perfect in the season-opening conference after Friday’s 109-98 win over NLEX was marred by allegations that Ross was a recipient of a racial slur courtesy of Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao.
The league found no evidence of such claims but Guiao was fined R11,000 for flashing a dirty finger and using a profane language while Ross was asked to pay P2,600 for two technical fouls he incurred in the game.
ALMAZAN, CAMSON FINED
PBA officer-in-charge (OIC) Willie Marcial yesterday suspended Rain or Shine’s Raymond Almazan and Kia’s Eric Camson with corresponding penalties after the two figured in a fight last Saturday at the Cuneta Astrodome.
The league caretaker penalized Camson P30,000, while Almazan was handed P20,000 following a thorough review of the incident.
The incident started as the two were jostling for position for a rebound. Video replays showed that Camson hit Almazan to the jaw with an elbow, and the latter responded with a similar strike.
Coach Leo Austria is expected to once again give significant minutes to his bench players, a change in philosophy after spending most of the Beermen’s run of five championships since 2014 giving heavy minutes to Ross, June Mar Fajardo, Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot and Marcio Lassiter.
Von Pessumal, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and Brian Heruela have capitalized on the opportunities in most of the games this conference while veterans Yancy de Ocampo and Billy Mamaril have been given minor appearances whenever Fajardo is given time to rest.
“What we’re doing right now is maging deeper yung rotation ng team kasi I know na sooner or later mararamdaman ng mga starters ko yung wear and tear, and I hope na magkaroon na ng kumpiyansa yung bench,” Austria said.
ABUEVA, ALMAZAN OUT
Gilas Pilipinas is likely to miss two key players for next month’s second window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers after coach Chot Reyes dropped Calvin Abueva and Almazan from the pool for failing to show up since training resumed earlier this month.
Abueva and Almazan didn’t appear in Gilas’ third straight Monday practice at the Meralco gym in Ortigas, leaving Reyes with no choice but to drop the hammer.