Jimmy Alapag will shoot for a triumphant start to his PBA head coaching career when NLEX locks horns with Macau on Friday as the Season 50 Governors’ Cup finally gets its wheels rolling at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Tipoff is set at 7:30 p.m., with all eyes definitely on the 2011 MVP, who’s back in Manila following a successful six-year career in the National Basketball Association as a player development coach with the Sacramento Kings.
In easily one of the season’s biggest stories, the sure-fire Hall of Famer was appointed as the Road Warriors’ chief mentor late last June, taking over the reins from the decorated Jong Uichico who, at the time, was with Gilas Pilipinas abroad for their Window 3 campaign in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers as part of Tim Cone’s brain trust.
Alapag inherits a team that failed to reach the Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals despite owning a win-once incentive in the quarterfinals after losing to TNT, which eventually reached the Finals before falling to Ginebra in seven games.
At his disposal is a roster led by Robert Bolick and featuring up-and-coming pros such as JB Bahio and Xyrus Torres, with Dequan Jones back for another tour of duty after previously reinforcing the squad in the 2024 Governors’ Cup.
Together, they’ll try to start the season-ending conference on a high note against the guest team, which is set to compete in Asia’s pioneering pro league for the second straight conference after seeing action in the Commissioner’s Cup.
According to Casino Plus Sportsbook, NLEX enters the contest as a 9.5-point favorite over Macau, with the game’s over/under pegged at 209.5.
Bets can be placed here: https://www.casinoplus.com.ph/home/inGame?name=basketball&title=SportBet.
With Marcus Elliott—whom Alapag battled during his stint as coach of San Miguel Alab Pilipinas in the ASEAN Basketball League—still at the helm, the Giant Pandas are hoping for a better campaign after a disappointing showing last conference.
Hampered by manpower woes, Macau dropped its first seven games of the Commissioner’s Cup before finishing 11th out of 13 teams with a 3-9 record.
De’Vondre Perry is set to handle import duties for a squad that retained key cogs Damian Chongqui and Ramon Cao while adding former Bay Area and Hong Kong Eastern wing Kobey Lam.
(C) PBA Images
Opening the tournament at 5:15 p.m. are Titan Ultra and Terrafirma in a meeting between teams that finished among the bottom five in the previous conference.
Titan Ultra, however, will go all-Filipino in its conference opener as import Tirrell Brown has yet to complete his official height measurement, which is scheduled for Saturday at the PBA Office.
The Dyip, meanwhile, will parade the returning Juami Tiongson, whom they reacquired in a June 3 trade with San Miguel that sent potential franchise cornerstone Jerrick Ahanmisi and combo guard Paolo Hernandez the other way.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for the 35-year-old, who hopes to rediscover the form that made him Terrafirma’s franchise player, earning individual honors and leading the team to a rare quarterfinal appearance in 2024.
He’ll be looking to begin his second stint with the franchise on a winning note against a Giant Risers side that has generated plenty of intrigue following reported trade talks that ultimately fell through.
Among those reportedly on the trading block was Joshua Munzon, although no deal materialized. Instead, the star guard’s contract was automatically extended through the end of the season, ensuring he remains with the club.
With Brown unavailable for Friday’s opener, Titan Ultra will rely on its local core as it looks to spoil Terrafirma’s bid for a winning start.
As of 1:30 p.m., Casino Plus Sportsbook has installed Terrafirma as a 6.5-point favorite over Titan Ultra, with the over/under set at 207.5.
