BATANGAS City and Zamboanga face off one last time in the MPBL Datu Cup on Tuesday at the Batangas City Sports Arena with a spot in the southern division finals at stake.
The match starts at 7 p.m.
The winner will take on the Davao Occidental Tigers, who swept the Bacoor Strikers in the other semifinal series.
The Athletics are looking to make it to their second straight finals.
Batangas City management had to fight for its rights of reclaiming the home court advantage when a last-minute change in schedule was made by operations head Zaldy Realubit.
The Athletics got the home court advantage nonetheless upon the intercession of Commissioner Duremdes and the approval of league owner Sen. Manny Pacquiao.
“The home court advantage is sacred to us,” said Athletics team manager Gerry Tee. “It’s so important. At one time, our venue was not available due to a pageant contest, so we looked for an alternative home court here in Batangas to make sure that we will have the support of our local folks.”
Head coach Mac Tan said the home court advantage will become the driving force of his banged-up players.
Zamboanga, meanwhile, looks to sustain its late-season surge.
After a roller-coaster ride in the early goings of the tournament, the team rose to stun last season’s runner-up Muntinlupa and have pushed the Rajah Cup champions Athletics to the limit in the semifinal series.
But Zamboanga will need more than just productive games from top guns Reed Juntilla and Robin Roño and the hardworking Harold Arboleda to get the job done. They will need a more consistent game from Joseph Nalos, veteran Ryan Buenafe and big man Allan Santos as well as Ivan Villanueva, who had his string of good games, but hardly a factor last time around.
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