Slow-starting Beermen hope to get going vs Painters
Streaking Meralco and struggling San Miguel Beer are taking a road trip to Rodriguez, Rizal, on Sunday, hoping to get the result they need in the PBA Philippine Cup before their respective flights overseas.
Out to end a rare 0-2 start in the tournament it has lorded over in the past decade is San Miguel which plays Rain or Shine in the 5 p.m. opener at Ynares Center.
San Miguel fell to NLEx and Phoenix to begin its quest to retain the All-Filipino title, but the Beermen believe there’s still time for them to turn things around.
Meralco, meanwhile, shoots for three straight wins after also starting 0-2. The Bolts are fresh off a comeback victory over Barangay Ginebra two nights ago and are slated to go up against Magnolia at 7:30 p.m.
Meralco rallied from 16 points down in the third to take an 89-75 victory over the Gin Kings at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Chris Newsome, CJ Cansino, Bong Quinto and Brandon Bates were among those who keyed the Bolts’ triumph, their second in three nights.
Following the two games, Meralco and San Miguel will prepare for their trips abroad, with the Bolts set to open their East Asia Super League campaign on Wednesday in Okinawa, Japan, against the Ryukyu Golden Kings.
Meralco is set to leave for Japan on Monday.
San Miguel, on the other hand, will head to Dubai for next Sunday’s game against Ginebra, the first out-of-the-country sojourn of the league since 2019.
Both teams, along with the rest of the PBA contingent, are set to fly on Friday.
Meanwhile, TNT and Converge were facing off at presstime in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, for the first official out-of-town game of the season-opening conference.
Rodriguez, still known by its old name of Montalban, is hosting multiple PBA playdates this season with PhilSports Arena and Ninoy Aquino unavailable due to preparations for the country’s hosting of the Fifa Women’s Futsal World Cup.
