Gin Kings, Aces collide tonight

BARANGAY Ginebra and Alaska, the hottest teams in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup eliminations with three-game winning streaks going, lock horns tonight at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao with the winner creeping closer to the leader.

Odds are about even in the 7 p.m. encounter as both sides have been playing to their true potentials.

Mahindra seeks to sustain its impressive campaign thus far when it battles Phoenix Petroleum in the 4:15 p.m. curtain raiser.

Barangay Ginebra import Othyus Jeffers will go up against Shane Edwards, the reedy replacement who has proven to be exactly what the doctor has ordered for the Aces.

“It’s going to be tough to continue that momentum against Alaska,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone said after a 104-84 ripping of the Enforcers last week. “They’re (Aces) a tough team to beat.”

Cone knows what he is talking about. The Kings barely survived the Aces in Dubai, the first and only time they met in the season. A questionable call in the dying seconds allowed Greg Slaughter to make the free throws that lifted the Kings to a one-point win.

Edwards came in as an emergency replacement for Rob Dozier just a game into the conference. Dozier has a foot injury but coach Alex Compton doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to see him back in the pink of health.

“Shane is providing us [coaching staff] with a welcome problem,” Compton said when asked when he felt Dozier would be ready. “We love both of them. We just want to keep on winning and think about that later.”

Edwards has proven to be a potent offensive weapon and a hard-nosed defender, able to rise way above the rim to challenge the enemy’s shots.

Calvin Abueva, Cyrus Baguio, JV Casio, Vic Manuel and Sonny Thoss are the other old hands that Alaska will be looking to lean on as the Aces try to make a third straight championship series appearance.

Slaughter, LA Tenorio and Japeth Aguilar have combined well in the last three Ginebra games, with Jeffers showing that he belongs despite being the shortest import in the lot at slightly over 6 feet 3.

Meanwhile, the Enforcers try to bounce back from a loss to the Kings and stay in the upper half of the standings.