Debuts of new imports highlight the resumption of the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
With the league plunging back into action after nearly two months of pausing for Gilas Pilipinas, the troika of TNT, NLEX, and bottom-dweller Macau have brought in new reinforcements to bolster their respective bids.
The defending champions, for one, have signed journeyman Nick Hornsby while the Hollis-Jefferson brothers tend to family matters back home.
A product of NCAA D1 school Sacramento State, the 31-year-old from Irvine is set to play his first official game against Terrafirma at 7:30 p.m., looking to help a team go above .500 as it is currently toting a 4-4 record in Group A.
They will be taking on a squad looking not just to gain a share of the No. 4 spot but to score a repeat as well, having beaten the Tropang 5G in overtime, 111-106, last July 25 behind a strong closeout led by Juami Tiongson.
But the Dyip faced a different team back then, with Coach Chot Reyes coming in with a deeper roster this time. The team has welcomed back Jayson Castro after a long layoff from injury, while reactivating Joe Celzo and Jeo Ambohot.
Casino Plus sportsbook sees TNT as the favorite heading into the matchup, with a -6.5 spread. The over/under is set at 202.5.
Bets can be made here: https://www.casinoplus.com.ph/home/inGame?name=basketball&title=SportBet.
Game time is set at 7:30 p.m., serving as the main event of a double-header offering to be opened by the Road Warriors and the Giant Pandas.
(C) PBA Images
The 5:15 p.m. bout will mark the league debut of Deonte Burton, whom NLEX signed last August after DeQuan Jones suffered a gruesome ankle injury.
While a newcomer, Coach Jimmy Alapag has known the 32-year-old very well, having worked with him with the Sacramento Kings in the NBA.
And that familiarity is what the former player turned mentor will be banking on as he tries to help the Road Warriors reclaim the solo lead. Before the long break, the team is sharing a 7-2 record with San Miguel Beer in Group A.
But it won’t just be NLEX that’s set to parade a new import. Macau has brought Oscar Lopez after reportedly parting ways with DeVondre Perry.
Manpower issues have hounded the guest team during the break. Key cogs such as Damian Chongqui, Ramon Cao, and Jenning Leung left and joined teams that are competing in the 2026-27 East Asia Super League season.
Chongqui was actually the first to jump ship when he signed with Macau Hou Chon, who also picked up one of their ex-teammates in Phoenix Shackelford. Cao and Leung would follow suit, reuniting with Hong Kong Eastern.
With the Giant Pandas dead last in the seven-team Group A with a 2-7 record, it is intriguing, to say the least, to see how Coach Marcus Elliott and the remaining players—led by Kobey Lam—would respond as they try to stay alive.
