Hapee, Cagayan stake unbeaten records today

Games Monday
Marikina Sports Complex
10 a.m. – Wangs Basketball vs MJM-Builders
12 n.n. – Hapee vs MP Hotel
2 p.m. – Cagayan Valley vs Racal Motors

League leader Hapee and Cagayan Valley look to stay unbeaten heading into the Christmas break when they face separate opponents on Monday in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup at the Marikina Sports Complex.

The Fresh Fighters take on the MP Hotel Warriors at 12 noon while the Rising Suns battle the Racal Motors Alibaba at 2 o’clock.

Odds are heavily stacked on the league’s only two unbeaten teams to continue their winning ways although a reversal is not being discounted. Hapee [7-0] is in quest for an eight consecutive win that should be enough to secure the Fresh Fighters an outright semi-final berth.

MP Hotel [1-7], on the other hand, is on a five-game skid but a 10-day rest could be the break the Warriors need so badly to turn their fortunes around.

“They are a dangerous team. All their losses are close games so we can’t take them lightly. We can’t afford to overlook this team. No team in the D-League is a lightweight,” said Hapee coach Ronnie Magsanoc of their matchup against MP Hotel.

Off to their best start in nearly two years, the Rising Suns [6-0] are going for their seventh to galvanize its no. 2 position, but they will be without their coach Alvin Pua.

Pua has been suspended for three games and fined P50,000 by PBA Commissioner Chito Salud for physically contacting a game official at the halftime break of their 82-74 victory against Jumbo Plastic Monday last week.

In the other game, struggling teams Wangs Basketball [2-4] and MJM Builders [1-6] battle each other in the first game at 10 a.m.

The Couriers and the Builders are both on a three-game skid and hard pressed to sweep their remaining assignments to get past the elimination round.