TNT will have itself a loaded schedule as the 2021-22 PBA Governors’ Cup finally resumes on February 11 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Given a grueling calendar due to their gig with Gilas Pilipinas for the FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers’ first window, the Tropang Giga are set to play four games from the aforementioned date to the 18th.
The flagship MVP franchise will banner the resumption on Friday against Magnolia at 6:00 p.m. in a rematch of the 2021 Philippine Cup Finals.
TNT will then battle Phoenix on Sunday at 4:00 p.m., before taking on San Miguel Beer on Wednesday, February 16, at 6:00 p.m. in their first meeting since the last all-Filipino best-of-seven semis that went the full route.
The Tropa will cap off the tough stretch with a meeting against reigning champions Barangay Ginebra on the 18th, Friday, also at 6.
After which, presumably, Coach Chot Reyes and his wards could prepare full-time for the Qualifiers slated on February 24-28 at the Big Dome.
The league will finally return to action after over a month of stoppage due to the rise of COVID-19 cases before the turn of the New Year.
And the first three days of the resumption will see some marquee match-ups. Opening the restart are Meralco and NLEX at 3:00 p.m. in an all-MVP derby, where the Bolts will be parading new pickup Chris Banchero.
Rain or Shine and NorthPort headline Saturday’s action at 6:45 p.m., right after the 4:00 p.m. tiff between Terrafirma and the still-winless Blackwater, who will finally have Gilas draftee Rey Suerte in tow.
Sunday will then see Meralco and the Gin Kings battle it out at 6:45 p.m. in another chapter of the long-time Governors’ Cup rivals. It would also be the first time Nard Pinto will see his former team since joining the Barangay.
Raising the curtains of the conference’s second week of action, meanwhile, are NLEX and Magnolia on the 16th at 3:00 p.m.
Meralco and NorthPort start play the following day at 3:00 p.m., followed by the Elasto Painters’ meeting with Alaska at 6:00 p.m in a clash of two former Gilas draftees in Mike Nieto and Allyn Bulanadi.
NLEX and Blackwater meet on the 18th at 3:00 p.m. to serve as the front act of the much-anticipated TNT-Ginebra main event.
A defensive battle is set to take place on the 19th as the Hotshots and the Fuel Masters face off at 6:45 p.m., the highlight of a double-header that will also see the Dyip and the Aces lock horns at 4:00 p.m.
Capping off the tournament’s first nine days of play is the heavyweight bout between Ginebra and San Miguel on February 20 at 6:45 p.m., after the 4:00 p.m. duel featuring Rain or Shine and Meralco.
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