Hotshots gun for No. 2; PBA alters sked

Calvin Abueva now energizes gizes the Hotshots. —PBA IMAGES

Two games in the PBA Philippine Cup have been moved to later dates after four TNT Tropang Giga entered health and safety protocols for registering positive COVID-19 results.

That means the games between Terrafirma and Alaska and TNT against Magnolia on Wednesday at Ynares Sports Center in Pasig have been reset, with the new schedule now pitting Phoenix versus NorthPort at 3 p.m. and the Aces now battling the Hotshots at 6.

“Four TNT Tropang Giga players have returned tests that were either positive or needs to be confirmed for COVID-19 under government approved league protocols,” the PBA said in a statement.

“They are now isolated and will be tested again. The rest of the team [which] tested negative are also isolated [and] will be retested.”

The league said that The Dyip “all tested negative,” but they still have to go on isolation after playing the Tropang Giga on Saturday.

Alaska will thus be facing former player Calvin Abueva for the first time as a Hotshot, whom Abueva helped to an 80-73 win over another former team, Phoenix, where he dropped 26 points last Saturday.

Phoenix, meanwhile, is just eager to show that there is life after Abueva as the Fuel Masters will be facing a NorthPort side reeling from an 85-63 loss at the hands of league-leading Meralco.

“We’re going to miss his energy,” Phoenix coach Topex Robinson said. “But we’ll be OK.” INQ