SAN Miguel parades its retooled line-up in PBA 50th Season Governors’ Cup on Tuesday against Macau Giant Pandas.
NLEX is also seeing action for the third time in five days when it goes up against Titan Ultra at the Ynares Center-Antipolo.
Read our preview of Tuesday’s doubleheader below.
NLEX VS. TITAN ULTRA
When: Tuesday, July 14. 5:15 p.m.
Where: Ynares Center-Antipolo
Road Warriors gun for third straight win
NLEX shoots for a third win that will keep the Road Warriors unbeaten against winless Titan Ultra. The Road Warriors maintained their undefeated record, but barely, after nipping Terrafirma, 101-100, last Sunday to take solo leadership in Group A.
Finally, an import for Titan
Titan Ultra will finally play with an import for Tuesday’s game after signing Tirrell Brown. The Giant Risers have lost two in a row after James Milton failed to secure a FIBA clearance and didn't play. Brown was actually the team's original choice before changing their minds with Milton.
Fourth-quarter woes
NLEX was already leading by as many as 23 points entering the fourth quarter when Terrafirma outscored the Road Warriors, 33-11, in the final period. The Dyip’s comeback fell just short as Justin Strings missed a three-point shot in the last possession of the game. The Road Warriors shot just 4-of-19 and committed six turnovers that resulted in 12 points off turnovers for the Dyip in that fourth quarter. NLEX will look to finish strong this time against Titan Ultra.
SAN MIGUEL VS. MACAU
When: Tuesday, July 14. 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ynares Center-Antipolo
Beermen debut
San Miguel plays its first game in the Governors’ Cup against guest team Macau on Tuesday night. The Beermen will look to bounce back from their Commissioner’s Cup letdown where they lost in the quarterfinals to Rain or Shine.
Return of the King
The Beermen will seek to finish the conference better this time with their import George King. The high-scoring import returns after his stint with Blackwater last season, and will now bring his talents to a championship contender in the Beermen for this conference.
Jerrick in an SMB uniform
Tuesday’s game will also see the debut of Jerrick Ahanmisi for San Miguel after he was acquired in a trade with Terrafirma last month. Ahanmisi and Paolo Hernandez were taken by the Beermen in exchange for Juami Tiongson and Chris Miller.
Ahanmisi was acquired after a breakout stay with Terrafirma where he became one of the league's leading scorers and even became a candidate for the Best Player of the Conference award during the Commissioner’s Cup. Tuesday will be the first time that fans will be able to see the role that Ahanmisi will play in this stacked San Miguel line-up.
Macau’s previous game
The Giant Pandas will be hardpressed to beat the Beermen after their first game where they were routed by NLEX, 114-75, last Friday. Damian Chongqui and import Dre Perry carried almost all the scoring load when they combined for 61 points with Kobey Lam and Ramon Cao, already veterans in the PBA wars, chipping in just four apiece.
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