Fruitas, Blackwater dispute early lead

Riding high on sharp forms, Fruitas and Blackwater Sports square off for the early lead today in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at Ynares Sports Arena in Antipolo.

Boasting of 2-0 records, the Shakers and Elite take the floor at 2 p.m. in the second game of another triple-header. Cebuana Lhuillier and defending champion NLEX hope to bounce back from stinging defeats when they face off at 12 noon, while Hog’s Breath and EA Regen Med battle in the 4 p.m. game.

Formed less than a month ago, the Shakers proved their worth in their first two games with a convincing 81-56 win over Jumbo Plastic that was followed by a stunning 75-72 victory over Cebuana Lhuillier in a game where they fought back from 22 points down.

The Elite opened their campaign with an 86-80 win against Café France, before overcoming Cagayan Valley, 89-85, in overtime.

Fruitas coach Nash Racela said cohesion and chemistry remains a concern for his squad. But Racela is taking heart at the way his players have fought hard in games, especially against the Gems.

“This team is barely a month old. It still needs to gel and develop some chemistry. But I’m already learning their hearts and character,” Racela said.

“There will be times when we will struggle on offense but as long as we can play defense there’s always the chance of winning. We still have a long way to go this conference and there will be a lot  of test.”