Beermen open 3-peat bid vs Hotshots

June Mar Fajardo goes up for a shot. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

On paper, San Miguel Beer easily looks as the team to beat in a PBA Philippine Cup conference that takes the lid off the 42nd Season of Asia’s pioneering professional league.

Bannered by two frontliners who have won the MVP the last four seasons, the Beermen are teeming with  firepower and are as loaded with defensive weapons as the race to stop San Miguel’s three-peat conference bid starts 5:30 p.m. this Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

June Mar Fajardo won his third straight MVP award the past season while Arwind Santos was the league’s best before Fajardo’s romp.

Sister team Star gets first crack at the Beermen in the only game on opening day.

Paul Lee will also make his debut for the Hotshots.

Blackwater, which tabbed the No. 1 pick in the Draft in Mac Belo, gets going on Wednesday against Phoenix at 4:15 p.m.

Rain or Shine then starts the post-Yeng Guiao era against perennial title contender TNT KaTropa and Jason Castro in the 7 p.m. main game.