Hotshots target No. 4 against Floodbuster

MANILA, Philippines - The Star Hotshots shoot for a fourth straight win and a share of the lead as they test the Mahindra Floodbuster and their new import Keith Wright in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

The Hotshots are expected to play extra hard in their 4:15 p.m. tiff with the Floodbuster fielding Wright, hoping to keep their unbeaten run and join the Alaska Milk Aces in the lead at 4-0.

Mahindra made an import change after going 1-3 with James White.

“We love James White. He’s been nothing but a great professional for our team and it was a decision based on necessity,” said Mahindra coach Chris Gavina. “We needed to address a low-post presence and we’re hoping Keith Wright can provide that for us.”

The 6-foot-8 Harvard product last played for the Westchester Knicks in the NBA D-League.

“We don’t know Mahindra’s new import and we had a hard time preparing for them. But my players are ready and we know that we need to play hard to get the win,” said Star coach Chito Victolero.

Meanwhile, either Barangay Ginebra or GlobalPort gets into the win-column as they slug it out in the day’s other game at 7 p.m.

Ginebra import Justin Brownlee and GlobalPort star player Terrence Romeo will surely play vital roles in the game. With health woes, Brownlee and Romeo played limited minutes the last time out.

But both should be in better shape now.

“We know Justin will get his bearing and put up big performance,” said coach Tim Cone whose team is coming off a conference losing debut against Phoenix Petroleum in Davao City last Saturday.

“It’s been a while since we lost out-of-town, so we’re very disappointed. But we don’t want to make too much of the first game. We have to look for as many early wins as we can not fall too far behind the leaders,” Cone also said.

Romeo returned from sickbay in their last game but he’s nowhere near the form of the scoring machine that submitted 28.7 points a game in the last Philippine Cup.

NOTES: San Miguel Beer player Ronald Tubid was meted a two-game suspension plus a fine of P30,000 for his flagrant foul on Meralco’s Chris Newsome in their game Sunday. Tubid serves his suspension in their games against Phoenix Fuel on Friday and against Star on April 16.