WILL a two-week respite slow down pacesetting Bay Area?
That will be known when the Dragons tangle with a fading Meralco squad fielding a returning import that it hopes could save its conference today in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The match is set at 3 p.m., with Bay Area out to extend its winning run to three and boost its hold on the lead against the Bolts, who linked up with former TNT and NLEX reinforcement KJ McDaniels vice Johnny O’Bryant.
Rain or Shine faces NorthPort in the other game at 5:45 p.m.
Dragons coach Brian Goorjian said pointed to the ability of their imports Myles Powell (first four outings) and Andrew Nicholson (ongoing) to jive with their Chinese teammates as one of the keys in the foreign guest team’s 6-1 campaign so far in the mid-season tourney.
“I think the team is getting better because of the way we train, we go for short periods, but we go hard, and we have a young group. So, the imports are so important in that process,” Goorjian said after Bay Area beat hapless Terrafirma to a pulp 130-76 last Oct. 21.
“If they don’t buy in, it’s not gonna happen. They’ve been unbelievably professional and I’m just looking forward to the time when we move forward and the two of them (Powell and Nicholson) are on the team together,” he added.
Aside from Nicholson, who will backstop the Dragons for the fourth straight game before the team decides who will be its final choice, the likes of Hayden Blankley, Songwei Zhu, Kobey Lam, and 7-foot-5 center Chuanxing Liu are expected to lead Bay Area’s charge.
“The matchup versus Bay Area will be tough, especially since (Cliff) Hodge will be out with an ankle sprain and (Chris) Newsome is still out with his calf injury,” Meralco tactician Norman Black said. “KJ (McDaniels) has practiced with us only three days, but he is adjusting well to his new team.”
Carrying a 1-5 mark that included a 96-113 loss to the Elasto Painters last Oct. 22, the Bolts will pin their hopes on McDaniels, Allein Maliksi, Bong Quinto, and Raymond Almazan.
With a 3-4 slate like the Batang Pier, Rain or Shine is raring to make up for an 83-92 defeat to Phoenix nine days ago.
Reinforcement Steve Taylor Jr., Rey Nambatac, Leonard Santillan, Mike Nieto, Gian Mamuyac, and Beau Belga will be counted upon by the Painters.
NorthPort, coming off an 86-104 thumping at the hands of defending champion San Miguel Beer last Wednesday, will bank on import Prince Ibeh, Robert Bolick, Roi Sumang, Arvin Tolentino, and Will Navarro.
