PBA Governors Cup tips off Friday

Games Friday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Meralco vs Phoenix

7 p.m. – Mahindra vs Star

MANILA, Philippines – The San Miguel Beermen are upbeat on their prospect for a possible title repeat in the PBA Governors Cup despite health woes to a number of players, including one-time MVP winner Arwind Santos and key backups Gabby Espinas, Yancy de Ocampo and Chris Lutz.

Santos and Espinas both underwent arthroscopic surgery to clean their knees and won’t be ready for action in the first few weeks of the season-ending tourney that opens Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Star Hotshots and old, champion import Marqus Blakely begin chase of another title run in the Governors Cup versus the Mahindra Enforcers and their import James White in the 7 p.m. main game.

Meralco and Phoenix Petroleum clash in the opening game at 4:15 p.m. with the Fuel Masters parading an overhauled lineup under new coach Ariel Vanguardia.

San Miguel, winner of this tourney last year versus Alaska, starts its title-defense versus Phoenix on Sunday also at the Big Dome.

 “We’re minus some key players at the start of the tourney, most notably Arwind and Gabby. But AZ Reid will be there to cover for them at No. 4 spot. Our problem is the reliever,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.

To be activated on the absence of Santos and Espinas is rookie reserve forward Michael Mabulac.

De Ocampo has just rejoined SMB in practice after undergoing a rehab to strengthen his MCL (medial collateral ligament) while Lutz is still in a rehab for imbalanced muscles.

Austria, however, remains confident largely because of their talented import that can well make up for their health problems.

“He’s in shape and he’s okay since he’s been with us since Day One of our training,” said Austria although he foresees a tough competition with all the great imports around.

“Blackwater and Mahindra have tall, tough imports so you can’t take any team for granted,” said Austria though he’s pointing to Rain or Shine, Alaska, Tropang TNT and Ginebra as the biggest threat in their title-retention quest.

The tournament opener on Friday will usher in a busy weekend with back-to-back double-headers at the MOA Arena on Saturday then at the Big Dome on Sunday.

On Saturday, Blackwater and NLEX face off at 4:30 p.m. then Barangay Ginebra and Globalport square off at 6:45 p.m. The next day, it’s Phoenix against San Miguel Beer at 4 p.m. then Alaska Milk opposite Meralco at 6:15 p.m.

Six Asian imports are joining regular reinforcements slugging it out in the tourney.

Reid is back for a second tour of duty with SMB, pitting his talent with Blakely, White, Alaska’s LaDontae Henton, Ginebra’s Paul Harris, Blackwater’s Eric Dawson, Globalport’s Dominique Sutton, Meralco’s Allen Durham, NLEX’s Henry Walker, Phoenix’s Marcus Simmons, Rain or Shine’s Dior Lowhorn and Talk n Text’s Mario Little.

The Asian imports are Syrian Imad Qahwash for Blackwater, Palestine Omar Krayem for Globalport, Iranian Mohammad Jamshidi for Meralco, Lebanese Rodrigue Akl for NLEX, Korean Lee Kwan Hee for Phoenix, and Syrian Michael Madanly for TNT.

Gilas players June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Ranidel de Ocampo, Marc Pingris, Troy Rosario, Jeff Chan, Gabe Norwood, Ryan Reyes, Terrence Romeo and Jayson Castro have returned to their mother ball clubs. But they’re likely to rest a few days before playing in the Governors Cup.