BOL Bol will be out to atone for his previous performance, as TNT faces Terrafirma in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner's Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Meralco, meantime, shoots for sole possession of second-place in its own meeting with slumping Macau.
Here is a preview of Saturday's twin-bill.
TNT VS. TERRAFIRMA
When: Saturday, April 11. 5:15 p.m.
Where: Ninoy Aquino Stadium
Out to become victorious again
TNT and Terrafirma will be fighting over the right to get back to winning ways. The Tropang 5G were defeated by Meralco, 110-106, last Tuesday to fall to 2-2. On that same day, the Dyip were beaten by Magnolia, 85-70, to drop their second straight game after a 3-0 start.
Bol Bol not his usual self last time
TNT import Bol had his lowest output of the conference last Tuesday when he had 28 points and 12 rebounds, all below his usual numbers during the first three games.
Tropang 5G assistant coach Josh Reyes said Bol got ill and didn't practice in the lead-up to the Meralco game. With a couple of days to recover, Bol is expected to be much healthier come Saturday's contest.
Dyip need Hernandez
Paolo Hernandez had a good start to the conference when he averaged 16 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in the three wins of the Dyip.
But over the last two games which Terrafirma both lost, Hernandez is only averaging 4.5 points, 1.0 rebound, and 2.0 assists, including a scoreless outing the last time against Magnolia.
MACAU VS. MERALCO
When: Saturday, April 11. 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ninoy Aquino Stadium
Meralco goes for solo second
Meralco will be eyeing solo second in its game against Macau. The Bolts are tied with NLEX at second with a 4-1 win-loss record. Meralco defeated TNT, 110-106, in its previous game.
On a slump
Macau's search for a win remained fruitless in its previous game when the Black Knights were upended by San Miguel, 111-94, last March 31. This will be Macau's first outing since the Lenten break, and the guest team is looking for a fresh start on Saturday.
Good ball movement for the Bolts
Sharing the ball was the name of the game for Meralco in its win over TNT where it had 32-15 advantage in assists.
Jason Brickman led the way with eight assists, as he continues to become a vital cog for the Bolts this conference.
Mitchell's scoring up
Tony Mitchell's numbers have seen an uptick over the past few games. In his first three matches, the comebacking PBA import was averaging 16.7 points and 9.0 rebounds.
But in the next two games, Mitchell tallied norms of 22.5 points and 12 rebounds for the Black Knights. If his numbers continue to rise, we might very well see a win for the foreign side.
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