By REYNALD MAGALLON
Barangay Ginebra and Bay Area are rekindling their rivalry in the East Asia Super League after finding themselves in a collision course as early as the group stage following the official draw results released on Wednesday, June 21.
The Kings and the Dragons, two teams which figured in an epic seven-game finals duel during last season’s Commissioner’s Cup, were both drawn in Group B along with Korean team Seoul SK Knight and Japanese champion Ryukyu Golden Kings.
Ginebra, expected to be bannered by Justin Brownlee along with PBA stars Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo and Japeth Aguilar will be facing up against their old nemeses in the likes of Zhu Song Wei, Kobey Lamb, Myles Powell and Andrew Nicholson in the October home-and-away tiff.
The last time the two teams faced off the Kings came away with the victory and the title with a 114-99 Game 7 win over the Dragons, attracting a PBA record crowd of 54,589.
Curiously, Ginebra will also be taking on a familiar foe in Allen Durham and Carl Tamayo of the Golden Kings and newly signed Juan Gomez De Llano of the SK Knights.
Brownlee and Durham would also be renewing their rivalry – a matchup that goes way back when the latter was still playing in the PBA with the Meralco Bolts.
Meanwhile, Governors’ Cup champions TNT was drawn in the Group A with Chiba Jets, P. League+ champion Taipei Fubon Braves, and defending EASL champion Anyang KGC.
The Tropang Giga are reportedly trying to bring Rondae Hollis-Jefferson back in the fold as they hope to erase the bitter taste of their forgettable winless run during the EASL champions week last February.
Easier said than done though with Anyang still having Filipino import Rhenz Abando and NBA veteran Omari Spellman.
The four teams in each group play each other twice – once at home and once away with the top two teams in the standings in each group at the end of the eliminations will advance to the Final Four slated in March next year.
