Kings Take On B-Meg

Kings Take On B-Meg
By WAYLON GALVEZ
March 10, 2012, 10:39pm

Games Sunday (Smart-Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Meralco

6:30 p.m. – Ginebra vs B-Meg


MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra and B-Meg, two of the country’s most popular teams, collide Sunday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

“A B-Meg-Ginebra game is always huge because of their respective followings,” said B-Meg coach Tim Cone. “But because the teams are tied in the standings, the game takes on even more significance.”

The Kings and the Llamados tote similar 3-2 win-loss records in the company of Petron Blaze and Air21.

Game time is at 6:30 p.m. following the 4:15 p.m. match between Rain or Shine and Meralco at 4:15 p.m.

The Llamados are fresh from an 88-79 victory over the Air21 Express last March 3 in Tacloban City.

The import match up features former NBA player Jackson Vroman of Barangay Ginebra and B-Meg’s Denzel Bowles.

Equally interesting is the battle between the teams' local crews.

Ginebra will rely on guards Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand and Mike Cortez, forwards Kerby Ramundo Rudy Hatfield, Rico Villanueva, Dylan Ababou and Nino Canaleta.

B-Meg, on the other hand, will lean on its own backcourt of James Yap, PJ Simon, Mark Barroca and Josh Urbiztondo, as well as the frontline of Marc Pingris, Joe Devance, Rafi Reavis and JC Intal.

Cone is wary about what Vroman can do.

“Vroman really is very good, and we’re going to have to find an answer for the Ginebra guards. I expect it to be a tough, tough game,” said Cone.

This will also be the first time both teams are facing each other following the three-team trade that shipped Ababou and Raymundo to Ginebra, and Intal ending up with B-Meg.

The Llamados, however, will also play sans Roger Yap, who was signed last week by San Miguel to play in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL).

The other game pits two teams struggling to improve their records.

The Painters are at the bottom of the standings at 1-4 after losing to the Petron Blaze Boosters a week ago (110-103).

The Bolts, on the other hand, recently snapped a three-game skid with a stunning 89-80 win over the Kings for a 2-4 card.

“We continue to fight for survival. We finally found some cohesion against Ginebra, hopefully we can follow up against Rain or Shine,” said Meralco mentor Ryan Gregorio. “The greatest motivation for us is to live for another day. Both teams will be fighting to avert extinction.”

The format this conference will only allow the top six teams after the single round robin to advance to the playoff round, with the last four automatically eliminated.

Source: The Manila Bulletin