Llamados seek fifth straight win vs Aces

MANILA—Derby Ace coach Jorge Gallent says they only have a modest goal in the PBA Philippine Cup, and that is to stay in the middle of the pack. 

The way they have been playing lately, though, the Llamados have a solid chance of making a serious run at the top. 

Gallent and his undermanned crew shoot for a fifth straight win today, clashing against an Alaska squad that has been groping for form, with a win in their 7:30 p.m. encounter at the Big Dome keeping the Llamados safely in the upper half of the standings. 

Peter June Simon has been the main man for the Llamados, whose four-game winning streak is credited largely to the league’s erstwhile best sixth man. 

Getting the call to start, Simon has burned the hoops, scoring a career-high 42 points in the second game of that run before shooting 25 in a 94-86 win over Rain or Shine on Sunday. 

Alaska, on the other hand, won its first three games and dropped its next four. 

The Aces will be coming into this contest fresh from a 97-86 ripping of Barako Bull just two nights ago. They built a 23-point lead early in the fourth quarter only to slow down. 

“That has been our waterloo, we seem to be getting tired in the fourth quarter,” coach Tim Cone told reporters. 

James Yap, the reigning MVP, still cannot be ignored even if Simon looks to be Derby Ace’s man of the hour. Roger Yap and energetic sophomore Rico Maierhofer will also get the majority of the minutes. 

Meanwhile, after a long rest, Meralco tries to win three straight games for the first time in its PBA existence when the B-Boys battle struggling Powerade in the 5 p.m. contest. 

Mac Cardona will lead Meralco, as it tries to pin a fifth straight loss on the Tigers.