By MARK REY MONTEJO
Games Friday
5:15 p.m. – Converge vs Magnolia
7:30 p.m. – TNT vs San Miguel
A pair of heavyweight clashes are set to welcome the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup back on Friday, Dec. 5 with a rematch of last year’s All-Filipino Finals between San Miguel and TNT serving as the biggest firework at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
All tied up at the third spot of the standings with similar 5-2 records along with Magnolia and Converge, the Beermen and the Tropang 5G cross paths for the first time since their Finals battle last season to get a share of the lead with Rain or Shine and NLEX at the end of their 7:30 p.m. affair.
Interestingly, the Hotshots and the FiberXers are also figuring in a crucial duel between marquee teams in the first offering at 5:15 p.m.
As it stands, only NLEX and Rain or Shine are assured of a quarterfinals spot and the winners of the Friday twinbill will be joining them to the next round.
For the losers, not only that its quarterfinals berth would be delayed but their bid to finish within the Top 4 – which merits a twice-to-beat advantage in the Magic 8 – would also take a huge blow.
And that’s exactly why the teams are extra eager heading into the contests with June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez looking to help San Miguel maintain its hot streak immediately after returning from their Gilas Pilipinas duties.
The Beermen are the hottest team in the league prior to the FIBA break, stringing together five straight wins after opening their title-defense on twin setbacks.
But aside from Fajardo and Perez, a huge part of that streak also came from their solid supporting cast in the likes of Juami Tiongson, Don Trollano, Chris Ross and Jericho Cruz, who also played in the FIBA window as part of the Guam team which Gilas faced.
But TNT surely benefitted to the break as Calvin Oftana and some of its key players got ample time to rest and recover from their respective injuries.
The twin towers of Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Poy Erram are expected to clog the paint against Fajardo while RR Pogoy, Jio Jalalon, Rey Nambatac and Jordan Heading will provide the outside scoring.
Meanwhile, in the first game, super rookie Juan Gomez de Liano will be tested against the veteran-laden backcourt of Magnolia which featured Paul Lee and Mark Barroca.
Jerom Lastimosa should also be a focal point for the Hotshots along with big men Ian Sangalang and Zav Lucero.
Converge, though, hopes to continue to prove that they are more than just Gomez de Liano team as twin towers Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana along with Alec Stockton and Schonny Winston certainly determined to provide the needed scoring punch.
