Games Today Trinity University of Asia Gym
2 p.m. – Big Chill vs NLEX
4 p.m. – Blackwater Sports vs Cagayan Valley
The Big Chill Superchargers are playing their best basketball early in the season and their six-game winning streak has reasonably raised their level of confidence.
Their coach, Robert Sison has, in fact, declared that his troops are not only motivated but also excited to return to the floor to face their next assignment — the defending champion NLEX Road Warriors.
“I guess every team in the league should have that frame of mind when you face an all-star team like NLEX,” Sison emphasized.
The Superchargers get their turn to test the mettle of the Road Warriors on Monday and Sison readily admitted their attempt to notch W number seven would be like scaling Mt. Everest.
There’s no doubt about it.
The Road Warriors had their three-game winning streak snapped following their 78-83 loss against Hog’s Breath Café – the only other unbeaten team in the PBA-D-League Aspirants’ Cup – last Thursday and their eagerness to bounce back make them just as dangerous as a man running amuck in the much-awaited 2 p.m. encounter at the Trinity University of Asia gym.
Big Chill’s head-to-head record against NLEX isn’t exactly encouraging but the Superchargers’ surprisingly strong start this season has kept Sison optimistic as the two teams renew their rivalry.
“NLEX loss [to Hog’s Breath] means only one thing: that NLEX will bounce back strong against us and that is what we are prepared for.
“I believe being the underdog will bring out the best in the players and the coaching staff as well and this is the motivating factor for our team,” Sison said.
Prior to last Thursday’s, NLEX was the league’s second-best defensive team with 68 points allowed per game. But the defending champs couldn’t find a way to stop Hog’s Breath Café’s 3-point shooting and that contributed largely to their first loss.
NLEX should encounter the same trouble against Big Chill, which is currently leading the league in 3-point shooting with its 34 percent clip while averaging eight treys a game.
Janus Lozada (14 ppg) and Reil Cervantes (12 ppg) have been providing Big Chill with consistent offensive contribution and the Superchargers are expecting another stellar effort from them.