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CAFE France and Phoenix-FEU start their best-of-five PBA D-League Aspirants Cup championship series Thursday with both coaches insisting their teams are going to battle as underdogs.
Game 1 of the finals tips off at 3 p.m. at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City with the Bakers seeking back-to-back titles after their conquest in the Foundation Cup last year.
The Accelerators are also hoping to make their mark in their debut conference with a team bannered by UAAP champion Far Eastern University.
“We are still the underdogs since Phoenix has the team of UAAP champions,” said Cafe France coach Egay Macaraya, whose team reached the finals after sweeping Tanduay Rhum in the Final Four.
The Bakers are hoping to cope despite injuries to Mar Villahermosa, Paul Zamar and Samboy de Leon.
Accelerators coach Eric Gonzales believes the Bakers clearly have an edge with Congolese center Rod Ebondo in their lineup.
“Their import is just hard to stop,” said Gonzales, referring to Ebondo who finished with 26 points and 19 rebounds in Cafe France’s 83-74 win over Phoenix-FEU in the elimination round.