FILE–PBA trophies for the season. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—The PBA officially released the schedule for the Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup on Monday with marquee matches scattered on different playdates from November to January of next year.
Opening day will be on November 27 at Philsports Arena in Pasig with the first game featuring the revamped Converge FiberXers against the last conference’s cellar dweller, Terrafirma.
The FiberXers look to capitalize on their best finish in recent history in the last conference while welcoming former Gilas sniper Jordan Heading in their young lineup. 2024 top pick Justine Baltazar, however, has yet to confirm if he will be playing for Converge already.
Terrafirma will be ushering in a new era without coach Johnedel Cardel at the helm, who called the squad’s shots for almost six years. The Dyip will be taking directives from acting and interim coach Raymond Tiongco while having import Ryan Richards to help the cause.
Guest team Hong Kong Eastern will also debut on opening day as it goes up against a young Phoenix squad.
The Fuel Masters look to bounce back from their abysmal 1-9 record last conference with the help of young cagers Ricci Rivero, Tyler Tio and Kai Ballungay plus its old reliables RR Garcia, Jayson Perkins and RJ Jazul.
Import Donovan Smith will be backing up the young squad under coach Jamike Jarin in hopes of improving their standing in the league
CLASICO FOR CHRISTMAS, FINALS REMATCH
FILE–Ginebra Gin Kings and Magnolia Hotshots square off in the PBA All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQuIRER.net
The games for Christmas day will be filled with fireworks as Ginebra and Magnolia rekindle their rivalry for the Yuletide season.
A returning Justin Brownlee spearheads the Gin Kings against the Hotshots, who will be enforcing a familiar face in the form of Ricardo Ratcliffe.
The PBA Governors’ Cup finalists also hope they can have the services of injured swingmen Isaac Go, Jeremiah Gray and Jamie Malonzo just in time for when they take on the shooting duo of Paul Lee and Mark Barroca.
The Hotshots, meanwhile, look to finally have the presence of rookie Jerom Lastimosa on the hardwood to signal a new rivalry with an (RJ) Abarrientos and a Lastimosa in the chessboard.
READ: PBA: Jerom Lastimosa out of Magnolia’s Governors’ Cup campaign
The Hotshots also aim to finish the elimination round on a high note when they face San Miguel Beer in a rematch of last year’s Commissioners’ Cup Finals.
The Beermen defeated the Hotshots after six games in last season’s finalè but it’ll be hard to replicate their wins into this new season with the uncertainty of Bennie Boatwright, who’s currently nursing a calf injury, according to coach Tim Cone a few days back.
As of writing, Quincy Miller will be the one to backstop the Beermen for the upcoming conference alongside the championship core of Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter and the league’s very best, June Mar Fajardo.