AFTER nearly two weeks, Barangay Ginebra is back in action against Meralco in the PBA 50th Season Governors’ Cup on Friday, the final playdate before the league takes a seven-week break to give way to Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers and the 20th Asian Games.
NLEX, meanwhile, will look to formally clinch a spot in the quarterfinals against Converge in the first game of the doubleheader at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Here is a preview.
CONVERGE VS. NLEX
When: Friday, August 14. 5:15 p.m.
Where: Smart-Araneta Coliseum
All-Filipino (Road) Warriors
NLEX (7-1) looks to remain all alone at the top of Group A. The Road Warriors won over TNT, 118-111, last Tuesday but it came at a price as DeQuan Jones suffered a gruesome injury on his right knee and ankle that ruled him out of the conference. NLEX was unable to find a replacement import on time, leaving the Road Warriors with one less player for the match up against Converge. A loss will drop NLEX into a tie with San Miguel for first place.
Winning streak eyed
Converge is looking for its first winning streak since taking three straight games at the early part of the conference. The FiberXers ended a four-game losing skid on Tuesday when they upended Terrafirma, 120-103. Converge looks to go to the break on a bright note.
Big role for Berto
With Jones out, NLEX players must work together to compensate for their import's 24.9-point average for the conference. Robert Bolick could be in line for a big game with a potential increased role for the Jimmy Alapag-mentored squad. He had a big night against TNT where he had 27 points including a four-point shot to force overtime.
Abueva resurgence
Calvin Abueva will look to continue his resurgence in Friday’s game. Over the last three games, Abueva is averaging 17.3 points and 11.7 rebounds, a vital piece to Converge’s win over Terrafirma.
MERALCO VS. BARANGAY GINEBRA
When: Friday, August 15. 7:30 p.m.
Where: Smart-Araneta Coliseum
Ginebra finally back on the court
Barangay Ginebra returns to battle in the Governors’ Cup for the first time in nearly two weeks – 12 days to be exact. The Gin Kings last saw action on August 2 in a loss to Magnolia, 88-73. They were supposed to play Blackwater last Sunday, but that game was postponed due to the monsoon rains. With their lengthy break, rust could set in early in the game before the Gin Kings get their bearings.
With a 2-3 win-loss record, Ginebra is in search of a win to get back on track with its last victory coming at the expense of Meralco, 88-73, last July 31.
Bolts need offense to end slump
Meralco is out to break a four-game losing skid. At the bottom of the standings with a 2-5 win-loss mark, Meralco is in dire need of the win to get back on track in the race for the four quarterfinal berths in Group B. The Bolts have a reputation as a defensive team, very comfortable in playing in low-scoring games. But for this game, Meralco might need offense. One player that has been struggling to put points on the board is Bong Quinto, who is averaging only 4.5 points since he missed the game against Ginebra last July 31 due to vertigo.
Vardano finally plays for the Bolts
After a long wait, Jordon Vardano is finally set to play for Meralco in the crucial game against Ginebra. Meralco opted to wait for Vardano’s hamstring injury to heal instead of replacing him permanently, which means the Bolts are very high on the import who already played for the Bolts in their campaign in the Basketball Champions League (BCL) Asia.
Grigsby bounce back
Riley Grigsby will look to atone for his performance in his previous game against Magnolia where he had 15 points on just 5-of-19 shooting - his lowest output in the league. Friday could actually be Grigsby’s final game with Ginebra since the PBA will go on a long break and won't resume play until October. By then, Justin Brownlee could already be healthy. So look for Grigsby to bounce back
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