Rain or Shine Elastopainters’ Felix Lemetti in a PBA Governors’ Cup out of town game against Ginebra. –PBA IMAGES San Miguel hopes to extend its hot start in the PBA Governors’ Cup on Tuesday night when it battles a Barangay Ginebra side trying to swiftly move on from an embarrassing performance on the road. The Beermen, who pace Group B play, shoot for a third-straight victory in the 7:30 p.
m. duel against their fancied sister team at Smart Araneta Coliseum, optimistic but cautious of their play following a forgettable first half in the 128-108 rout of Blackwater last Sunday. “We can’t do how we played in the first half, [if we do,] definitely Ginebra will blow us out,” coach Jorge Gallent said, referring to a laughable first two quarters that saw his charges trail an import-less Blackwater, 63-56.
Ginebra, on the other hand, is hell-bent on rebounding from a 73-64 loss to Rain or Shine in Candon, Ilocos Sur, last Saturday that made for a woeful start for the retooled crowd darlings, whom everyone expected to make a rousing start with the returning Justin Brownlee and their offseason acquisitions. Rhon Jhay Abarrientos, the highly touted third overall pick in the Rookie Draft, finished with just two points on a 1-for-15 shooting. Not helping was Isaac Go’s equally horrendous two points off 14 attempts.
Both were part of an offseason deal that sent Christian Standhardinger, Stanley Pringle, and a Draft Day pick swap to Terrafirma. Also eyeing a 3-0 start is TN.