San Beda, Perpetual collide in PBA D-League

Games Thursday

(Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig):

12 p.m. – The Masterpiece-Trinity vs Wangs Basketball
2 p.m. – Metropac-San Beda vs Perpetual
4 p.m. – Go for Gold-CSB vs St. Clare Virtual Reality

MANILA, Philippines – Metropac-San Beda and Perpetual lock horns on Thursday at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig to kick-start their runs in the 2019 PBA D-League.

The Movers and the Altas will reintroduce themselves with one another in this all-NCAA clash with game time set at 2 p.m.

It will be the dawn of a new era for Metropac-San Beda, with James Canlas, Clint Doliguez and AC Soberano all poised to take a bigger chunk of responsibility to help Nigerian slotman Donald Tankoua.

Pressure is also on for the Movers to keep the Finals streak of coach Boyet Fernandez, an eight-time PBA D-League champion coach, alive in this new endeavor starting in this Foundation Group duel.

But it won't be a walk-in-the park for Metropac-San Beda, with Perpetual aching to get back at their NCAA Final Four tormentors.

Transferee big man Ben Adamos will make his debut, coincidentally against his former team, while playmaker Keith Pido is back for the Altas.

They will be huge in Coach Frankie Lim's program this year, together with Edgar Charcos, Tonton Peralta and Kim Aurin.

The Masterpiece Clothing-Trinity University of Asia and Wangs Basketball, meanwhile, will be the curtain-raiser for the first triple-header of the season at 12 p.m., followed by Go for Gold-CSB shooting for a bounce back win against debuting St. Clare College Virtual Reality at 4 p.m.

The Scratchers of coach Charles Tiu want nothing but to erase the bitter memory of their 103-75 manhandling at the hands of Cignal-Ateneo back in opening day.

Humbled from that defeat, Go for Gold-CSB still drew positive performances from Justin Gutang and Yankie Haruna, one which they will need to negate the presence of Malian big man Mohamed Pare of the Saints.