Focus on imports as Kings, Bolts face off

MANILA, Philippines - Barangay Ginebra and Meralco, teams which narrowly missed the Philippine Cup semifinals, square off in the main game of the opening bill of the import-reinforced  PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City tonight.

The Kings and the Bolts come back from a six-week break, with highly touted imports Michael Dunigan and Josh Davis, respectively, as they slug it out at 7 p.m.

Kia Motors, featuring the tallest import the PBA fans will see in two years, clashes with Globalport in the 4:15 p.m. opener of the tourney that Purefoods ruled for the third jewel in its “four-peat” run from 2013 to 2014.

For the success of the recent Philippine Cup, the PBA offers a special treat tonight by opening the MOA General Admission section for free to the fans.

A bigger treat should be the games to be dished out by the Kings, the Bolts, the Carnival (formerly Sorento) and the Batang Pier as PBA action resumes after the San Miguel Beermen conquered the Alaska Milk Aces in the riveting Philippine Cup Finals.

But focus would be on the Gin Kings with Dunigan and the new style of game the team is playing in its return under the tutelage of coach Ato Agustin.

Gone is coach Jeff Cariaso and the Triangle Offense that the team tried to play without success in two conferences.

Dunigan is familiar to PBA fans and he’s familiar with Ginebra as the former Oregon U standout has had a previous tour of duty in the league with Air21 in 2013. He averaged 23.9 points, 15.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.4 blocks then.

He will be up with Meralco’s Josh Davis in his PBA comeback.

“Our import has practiced with the team four days and is starting to fit in with the locals,” said Meralco coach Norman Black.

“We will be undersized again this conference because Davis is only 6’7, but his energy level will have us in there fighting,” Black also said of their import who was the last cut in the San Antonio Spurs roster for the current NBA season.