The same teams that opened the PBA’s golden season will go at it again when the league celebrates its 51st anniversary as Magnolia and Ginebra face off in Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup action tonight at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Game time of the latest Manila Clasico chapter is at 7:30 p.m., with the Hotshots not just looking to beat the Kings again like what they did back on October 5, but to continue their winning run as well after a 0-3 start into the midseason joust.
Coach LA Tenorio & Co. are in the midst of a two-game winning streak, having beaten the luckless Macau and then Terrafirma thanks to the big boost provided by import Clint Chapman, who led the way in both of those victories.
That, of course, gives them the momentum needed entering another edition of their fabled rivalry with the crowd darlings, although the young bench tactician feels wary as they will be taking on a team that’s bent to get back on track.
Ginebra is coming off a stinging defeat to San Miguel Beer the last time out, in which it lost hold of a 15-point lead and lost by way of an 85-82 decision, no thanks to a Don Trollano corner three-pointer in the final eight seconds.
“I know Ginebra will be ready after the bad loss last game. I know Coach Tim, he’s gonna make his team ready going into Friday’s game,” Tenorio said.
The odds aren’t in favor of Magnolia as well. The Kings, currently at 2-2 in the standings, are favored to win by -4.5 points, as far as the Casino Plus sportsbook is concerned. The over/under in total points is set at 195.
Bets can be made here: https://www.casinoplus.com.ph/home/inGame?name=basketball&title=SportBet.
But of course, the Hotshots refuse to get too caught up with the Clasico hype or any of that, with their sights only locked in on trying to get better following that harrowing start that saw them lose to Phoenix, NLEX, and Blackwater.
“Manila Clasico, it’s a big game for the PBA, for the fans, but overall as a team we are really focusing on the things that we want to worry about, the things that we need to get better,” Tenorio said, as they’re still 2-3 in the standings.
(C) PBA Images
Set to open the double-header offering at 5:15 p.m., meanwhile, would be Rain or Shine and Converge in another clash between two independent teams.
The Casino Plus sportsbook says that the Elasto Painters are coming in as the favorite to win by -3.0 points, with the over/under in points set at 217.
And that’s justified as well. Coach Yeng Guiao and his men are currently sitting atop the standings with a clean 5-0 record, which is already their best start in franchise history, according to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III.
Its most recent was against none other than the Beermen merely 48 hours ago, a 116-112 result in which they nearly coughed up a 25-point lead but strung together a strong windup in another solid display of character for the crew.
“Nakalusot eh. Tingnan natin kung hanggang saan ang swerte,” said the champion mentor, as they now have their sights on winning at least two more games to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals based on their own calculations.
Extinguishing their fiery form, needless to say, would be a daunting task for the FiberXers of Coach Delta Pineda, who are in a four-game losing skid.
Their most recent loss came at the hands of the Barangay, 93-99, just before the Lenten break, in which they collapsed in the endgame while RJ Abarrientos and Justin Brownlee made them pay with crucial buckets to pull off the W.
Still, Guiao finds no reason to relax in going up against the 1-4 Converge, warning that the team could be a handful once they get their act together.
“Mabigat na kalaban ‘yung Converge. I think ‘yung 1-4 record nila does not reflect how strong they are,” he said. “Parang naghihintay lang ng tamang panahon; ‘pag nag-gel sila, mahirap talaga talunin ‘yan, mabigat ang lineup.”
