By JONAS TERRADO
SURPRISE leader Blackwater aims to preserve an unbeaten slate and keep its magical run going in the PBA Governors’ Cup against NLEX today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Elite go for their fifth straight victory in the 4:30 p.m. match with the Road Warriors, who will try to play the spoiler role in their first game since losing to the San Miguel Beermen last Sept. 1.
Magnolia and Rain or Shine try to bounce back from losing their matches over the weekend when they clash in the other game at 7 p.m.
But attention will be on Blackwater, which has made heads turn after producing four victories to start the season-ending conference including three against the traditional title favorites.
Coach Bong Ramos and the Elite is coming off a gutsy 124-118 overtime win over defending champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel last Friday, raising hopes that the usually-struggling squad is a legitimate contender for the crown.
Ramos, however, preferred to temper expectations with Blackwater still far from achieving its initial goal of making the quarterfinals.
Blackwater knows it will have its hands full against NLEX, which will formally welcome back coach Yeng Guiao from his busy schedule coaching the national team in the Jakarta Asian Games and the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
The Road Warriors did make a good account of themselves in Guiao’s absence, going 3-2 under assistant coach Jojo Lastimosa.
But the 25-day respite could serve a momentum-breaker for an NLEX side determined to make a return to the quarterfinals after winning just two games in the Commissioner’s Cup.
Leading Blackwater’s charge are import Henry Walker, Poy Erram, PBA Press Corps Player of the Week John Pinto, Mike DiGregorio, Paul Zamar, Mac Belo and Allein Maliksi.
NLEX tries to counter it with import Aaron Fuller, Mac Tallo, Kenneth Ighalo, Michael Miranda and Bong Galanza, some of the players who have stepped up with Kiefer Ravena still serving a lengthy FIBA ban and Kevin Alas in the process of completing his recovery from an ACL injury.
Meanwhile, Magnolia is coming off a 95-82 setback to Phoenix last Sunday, the team’s first loss after a 2-0 start while Rain or Shine began the conference with a 110-104 defeat to TNT KaTropa Saturday night in Passi City, Iloilo.