By REYNALD MAGALL0N
Games Today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. – Eastern vs Meralco
7:30 p.m. – Ginebra vs San Miguel
Titanic SMB-Ginebra collision raise curtain to 2025 PBA action A pair of marquee matchups is raising the curtain to the 2025 PBA action as guest team Eastern and all-Filipino champion Meralco lock horns and powerhouses San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra collide in the resumption of the Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, Jan. 5.
The Hong Kong-based crew tests the mettle of the Bolts in the first offering of the year at 5 p.m. before the Beermen and the Kings figure in an explosive battle at 7:30 p.m.
Eastern and Meralco are tackling the new year with contrasting momentums with the former coming off a 99-91 triumph over San Miguel while the latter is currently on a two-game slide – the last of which a 94-110 Christmas Day loss against Converge to end their respective years.
Likewise, the Kings are also brimming with confidence heading into their clash against the Beermen following an epic 95-92 win against bitter rival Magnolia Hotshots in a game that saw them recover from a 22-point deficit.
SMB, on the other hand, is out to right the ship after suffering back-to-back losses to Eastern both in the PBA and EASL to end the year.
The win against Magnolia proved to be crucial for the Kings with coach Tim Cone claiming it took some pressure off their shoulders especially with the tight battle in the standings.
It also gave the team the confidence and momentum ahead of the titanic collision with the Beermen who are banking on the twin towers of June Mar Fajardo and import Jabari Narcis.
“It takes a bit of pressure off of us because we remain towards the group on top. If we lost we would have dropped down to the middle or the bottom. It’s really hard to come in a game on a must win so that puts a lot of pressure off you,” said Cone.
“We want to come in against San Miguel feeling confident and comfortable with our game, if we do that, we perform pretty well against them but if we come in a must win (situation), it’s really tough against a team as talented as San Miguel,” he added.
Ginebra is surely looking at rookie RJ Abarrientos, who had an impressive performance last time out, to back up Justin Brownlee, Japeth Aguilar, Stephen Holt and Scottie Thompson, who also nailed the game-winning triple against the Bolts.
