CaféFrance plans to start strong and fast against Cagayan-Gerry’s while Hapee Toothpaste hopes to buck the odds anew when it goes up against top seed Cebuana Lhuillier in the best-of-three semifinal round of the PBA D-League Foundation Cup today at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Looking more formidable now after acquiring ex-pro Eloy Poligrates, the Bakers are determined to resume their winning drive when they collide with the Rising Suns at 3 p.m.
Clashing at 1 p.m. are Hapee and Cebuana with the Fresh Fighters out to make two in a row against the Gems.
Since the return of the San Beda stars, the Fresh Fighters have won four of their last five games, including against the Gems in a win that ended Cebuana’s five-game winning run.
However, the Fresh Fighters will have to do without five of their marquee players – Bobby Ray Parks, Baser Amer, Earl Thompson, Garvo Lanete and Troy Rosario.
Parks is back in the US to pursue his NBA dream, Lanete is still recuperating from a knee injury while Rosario, Amer and Thompson are in Singapore competing for the Philippine team in the SEA Games.
Without them, the burden now falls on San Beda’s Art dela Cruz and Ola Adeogun.
Out to provide firepower for CaféFrance are Poligrates, Maverick Ahanmisi, and Rod Ebondo. (Christian Jacinto)