Newly-minted coaches who won their respective debuts aim for a perfect 2-0 start as Blackwater and Meralco tangle in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Saturday, Nov. 11.
The Bossing hope to sustain the winning culture new coach Jeff Cariaso is trying instill while the Bolts aim to do the same under new mentor Luigi Trillo in the 3 p.m. showdown.
The second game is the clash between first game losers in TNT and Converge at 6:15 p.m.
Blackwater went off to a rousing start to the conference, taking down Converge 103-84 with Puerto Rican import Chris Ortiz leading the charge. The Bossing hardly looked like the struggling team last season with guys like Rey Suerte, Troy Rosario, Mike Ayonayon, Jvee Casio and Tyrus Hill all contributing double-figures.
It was a step towards the right direction as the Bossing look to prove they are in no way pushovers this season.
“The goal of our team is like the goal of the 11 other teams, to win a championship. Some may say that we have a much harder road. There may be some truth to that but again that is our goal and right now a good first step and now we have the second step versus a very tough Meralco team on Saturday,” said Cariaso.
Standing as a huge test to that conviction are the Bolts who are coming off their own morale-boosting opening win 107-102 over Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Import Suleiman Braimoh along with local stars Allein Maliksi and Chris Newsome delivered in the end game to give Trillo a winning debut.
Trillo shared that the Bolts are only to get better moving forward with Braimoh since the American-Nigerian forward is yet to be in his top shape.
