Hoping to end the year with a bang
Mixing it up and finding some measure of success against SMB’s June Mar Fajardo, Meralco’s Ken Bono might have recharged a fast-dwindling career. Photo courtesy of www.pba.ph
MANILA, Philippines — Rain or Shine, Blackwater, TNT KaTropa and Alaska Milk figure in the last PBA play date in 2017, all hoping to end the year on a winning note and build momentum for the resumption of the PBA Philippine Cup on Jan. 7.
The Elasto Painters and the Elite clash at 4:15 p.m. then the Tropang Texters and the Aces collide at 7 p.m. at the Cuneta Astrodome, each looking for a triumphant end to an otherwise losing year.
Among the four, TNT has been the best performer, though coming up short in its bid in all three conferences.
The Texters bungled their shots at the finals in the Philippine Cup and in the Governors Cup, and blew a crack at the crown in the Commissioner’s Cup.
The E-Painters, the Elite and the Aces struggled all year long. But they hope to improve in the new season with the return of key players from injuries plus the entry of key acquisitions from the draft.
Coach Caloy Garcia and his ROS troops are determined to make it two in a row following a winning debut against the Texters.
Garcia, however, feels Blackwater is now a different team and it can’t be taken for granted.
“We have to do better on the boards. We can’t allow Blackwater to get second attempts. Blackwater is a more dangerous team now. With Mac Belo and Raymar Jose, they seem much, much better,” said Garcia.
The Elite had a tough stand in their initial game in the season against the Meralco Bolts, losing in the end, 98-103, ironically behind the hot hands of former Blackwater player KG Canaleta.
Meanwhile, the Texters dropped a 79-82 loss to the Elasto Painters a week ago while the Aces went down, 95-108, to the Magnolia Hotshots two days earlier.
After a struggle last season, the Aces’ miseries extended to their first game in the new PBA season, losing to the injury-plagued Magnolia side.
The Aces failed to neutralize Paul Lee, who sizzled with 6-of-8 three-pointers and finished with 30 big points that went with seven rebounds, six assists and one steal against an error in just 24 minutes of action.
Alaska actually got off to a strong start, posting a double-digit spread at 20-10 but Magnolia turned the game around right in the next period, zooming ahead, 57-47, at the turn.
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