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Alaska and Globalport clash against separate foes Friday both seeking to duplicate their impressive opening-day victories in the elimination round of the PBA Governors’ Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Aces, who ran newcomer Blackwater to the ground on the way to the most lopsided victory in the young tournament thus far, slug it out with new-look Barangay Ginebra in the 7 p.m. contest.
Ginebra will be handled by new coach Frankie Lim and reinforced by two new faces in the lineup. The Gin Kings will be playing under the proverbial microscope as they try to improve on luckluster finishes in the first two conferences.
The Batang Pier, meanwhile, will be shooting for their first winning streak under comebacking coach Pido Jarencio when they battle the Elite in the 4:15 p.m. curtain-raiser.
Globalport has a formidable import combination in Omar Krayem and 7-foot-1 Patrick O’Bryant, whom Blackwater veteran Marcus Douthit would have to dominate to give the Elite a chance to post an upset.
Krayem is an energetic backcourt man, while O’Bryant is prolific underneath. Coupled with the steady contribution of Terrence Romeo, the Batang Pier are fancied to go 2-0 for the first time in franchise history.
Batang Pier are also expected to welcome super rookie Stanley Pringle from the injured list.
Alaska, on the other hand, was hardly tested by Blackwater in the inaugurals last Tuesday, with import Romeo Travis playing less than 30 minutes like most of its local nucleus led by JV Casio and Cyrus Baguio.
Calvin Abueva, the Alaska dynamo, played just 12 minutes against the Elite.
But against the Gin Kings, the Aces will be pushed to the wall if only for the sheer size of Ginebra, which will be bannered by 7-foot Greg Slaughter and the 6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar.
Lim will be the Kings’ third coach in as many conferences this season, taking over from Ato Agustin after Ginebra bombed out in the quarterfinal round of the previous conference.
Sol Mercado will be seeing action for the first time for the Kings. He was acquired just last week from Barako Bull with Ginebra giving up gunslinger Joseph Yeo.
The arrival of Mercado could affect the playing time of starting point guard LA Tenorio even as Mark Caguioa, the former MVP, remains to be the leader of this team.