Jarencio-less Sumos face Cultivators today

AFTER figuring in the worst on-court scuffle yet this season, Max Bond goes for a crucial win minus head coach Pido Jarencio and veteran forward Junjun Cabatu against FCA in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup today.

Jarencio and Cabatu will be serving a one-game suspension when the Sumos try to boost their bid for an outright quarterfinal berth against the Cultivators in the 2 p.m. Group B match at the Meralco Gym on Ortigas Avenue in Pasig.

In Group A, early quarterfinalist NLEX tries to wrap up its campaign in the classification phase with a victory against Freego Jeans at 4 p.m.

Jarencio and Cabatu were suspended along with Cebuana Lhuillier mentor Luigi Trillo and player Ariel Mepana by PBA commissioner Chito Salud for figuring in an altercation that led to a bench-clearing incident four days ago.

Salud also slapped a total fine of P64,500 on the four and the other players who joined the altercation with just 22.2 seconds left in the first half of the game won by the Gems, 73-58, last Thursday.