By JONAS TERRADO
Game Today
(Legazpi City, Albay)
5 p.m. – Ginebra vs NLEX
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and NLEX finally stage their long-overdue out-of-town game in Legazpi City today with a chance at regaining lost footing in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The two struggling teams sitting near the bottom of the standings seek to win the Petron Saturday Special affair set 5 p.m. at the Ibalong Centrum for Recreation and stay in contention for a quarterfinals berth in the midseason tournament.
Ginebra and NLEX were supposed to play in Legazpi last February but volcanic activity at Mayon Volcano forced PBA officials to move the game at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. NLEX won that match, 81-78.
NLEX is not only dealing with a 2-5 record but also the absence of injured guard Kevin Alas (knee) and rookie Kiefer Ravena, who has meted an 18-month ban by FIBA after testing positive for banned substances.
Coach Yeng Guiao has been forced to deal with a depleted backcourt with import Arnett Moultrie doing the heavy lifting on offense.
The Road Warriors are still in the running for the eight-team quarters, but a loss may make things even tougher for them to get there.
It is the same predicament Ginebra is dealing.
Though almost at full strength, Ginebra is still searching ways to arrest a rare case of slump of five losses in six games – the worst start since coach Tim Cone took charge of the crowd favorites since 2015.
Ginebra’s woes continued last Sunday when it fell 104-97 in overtime to defending champion San Miguel and will now need to win probably all of its final five games to reach the quarters.
Cone could only hope for improved play from Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio, Scottie Thompson and Sol Mercado and import Justin Brownlee.
NLEX counters with Alex Mallari, JR Quinahan, Emman Monfort, Larry Fonacier, Cyrus Baguio and Dave Marcelo.
