Express, Kings clash for solo lead

MANILA, Philippines — Air21 and Barangay Ginebra battle for the solo lead Tuesday even as Meralco tries to prop up its sagging PBA Governors’ Cup fortunes by recalling Mario West for the match with San Mig Coffee at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With 2-0 cards, the Express and the Gin Kings, who finished in the bottom half of the last conference, will collide at 8 p.m.

West, meanwhile, returns for another tour of duty with the Bolts, who are in dire need of a win to avoid being pushed to the wall this early in the elimination round.

Meralco and San Mig Coffee earlier clash at 5:45 p.m. with the Mixers hoping to bounce back from a 92-90 loss to sister team San Miguel Beer last Sunday.

Meralco tried out the much-hyped Terrence Williams but has no win to show after three games.

Williams showed unwillingness to play hard defense and bang bodies underneath. West is a known hard worker and a rugged defender, having legitimate NBA stints trying to contain the likes of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat.

Asi Taulava, named Tuesday as the PBA Press Corps-Accel Player of the Week, will be trying to spearhead the Express to their third straight win and improve on their franchise-best start.

The veteran 6-foot-9 Taulava averaged 20.5 points and 13 rebounds in Air21’s first two victories over Rain or Shine and Barako Bull.

Air21 also has a formidable import in Dominique Sutton, a crafty and high-leaping forward who likes to share the ball with his teammates.

Proof of this is the fact that Joseph Yeo and Mac Cardona both have scored heavily in their first two games.

Ginebra has also been very impressive under new coach Jeffrey Cariaso, winning its first two games by lopsided margins with import Zach Mason proving to be a perfect fit for the triangle offense the Gin Kings are running.

It will be up to Greg Slaughter to try to stop the Taulava rampage and help the Kings dominate the inside—which has been the key to their first two wins.

LA Tenorio has also not had his breakout game yet, and the 5-foot-9 point guard will have the advantage and experience over his Air21 counterparts Jonas Villanueva and Eliud Poligrates.

Taulava said strong team camaraderie is one of the keys to Air21’s strong start.

“We’re family here. That’s how coach Franz [Pumaren] has built this team and transformed it,” said Taulava, who jumped from eighth place to fourth spot in the Most Valuable Player race after the team’s solid playoff run in the second conference.

“It’s a family atmosphere. Like big brother and little brother. If they have any problem with me, they go talk to me as a big brother,” said Taulava.