SAN Miguel and Magnolia booked a win right away in their respective PBA Philippine Cup campaigns on Saturday night.
The Hotshots dispatched the Blackwater Bossing, 106-84, while the Beermen survived a big endgame comeback by the NLEX Road Warriors to prevail, 98-89.
READ Robert Bolick denies rift with NLEX coach Jong Uichico
The two SMC teams joined opening-day winners Terrafirma and defending champion Meralco in the win column of the season-ending conference.
Here are the takeaway in the NAS doubleheader as the countdown to the league's 50th anniversary continues.
1. BEERMEN STRONGLY MOTIVATED TO BOUNCE BACK - from CJ Perez to coach Leo Austria to eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, just about everyone at San Miguel is well motivated to make amends after the team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Not making the finals could be permissible, but not making the post-elimination play is a mortal sin for a powerhouse cast like the Beermen. Still, they had to take the best the Road Warriors could offer before coming away with a win in their debut game.
2. WHERE’S KEVIN ALAS IN THE SECOND HALF? – not to take anything away from the NLEX coaching staff, but it appeared the veteran Alas was left out in the team’s rotation down the stretch. Robert Bolick, Javee Mocon, Rob Herndon, and rookies Xyrus Torres and John Bahio were alternated at both the backcourt and the wings for almost the entire fourth quarter and actually did match up well against the Beermen as they battled back from eight points down. Alas ironically, was no longer played the entire second half after scoring eight straight points in the second quarter including back-to-back 3s. The guard out of Letran also added a rebound and an assist in seven minutes of play.
3. HOW CHANGE IN JERSEY NUMBER HAVE AN EFFECT ON ABUEVA – the eccentric forward showed up for Magnolia’s opening game in the conference donning new jersey number 73, replacing his No. 13 uniform. ‘The Beast’ said the he got the number by reversing his age – he just turned 37 last Feb. 4 – and in part, as tribute to his NBA idol and Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman, who wore the same number during his stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. And Abueva’s stats in his first game wearing no. 73 – 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting and adding six rebounds. Magnolia hopes those numbers stay and Abueva doing away with less antics.
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