Alaska, NLEX open Govs’ cup

Alaska, a perennial power, and NLEX, a relative upstart seeking to establish its character in the Philippine Basketball Association, clash in the main game of a regular doubleheader that takes the curtains up on the season-closing Governors’ Cup on July 19.

After missing the playoffs in the Commissioner’s Cup, the Aces and the Road Warriors are itching to erase the ignominy of their recent failures.

With import Aaron Fuller and several trades during the course of the previous conference, the Road Warriors have boosted their stock. They also had a lot of time in the offseason to jell their new local recruits with their core.

The Alaska-NLEX duel is slated 7 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, just after KIA Picanto (formerly Mahindra) and Phoenix Petroleum slug it out at 4:15 p.m.

Alaska parades LaDontae Henton, a hardworking lefty, as the Aces and coach Alex Compton try to rebound from what have been a very disappointing conference—and a very frustrating season.

Grand Slam-seeking San Miguel Beer, which debuts on July 29 against Blackwater, tries to get off its sweep bid on the right foot against Blackwater in the 3 p.m. contest at Ynares Center in Antipolo.