Barangay Ginebra and Alaska stake their unbeaten record Sunday in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup as they take on each other in a game coach Tim Cone describes as a “big showdown."
The two league-leaders trounced their respective opponents Friday to set up the 4 p.m. duel at the Araneta Coliseum.
Talk `N Text and Sta. Lucia, the two other unbeaten teams in the season-opening tournament, meet in the main game set at 6:30 p.m.
The Aces and Kings currently share the top spot with identical 3-0 cards. Alaska rolled to its third straight win by routing Coca-Cola, 100-79, while Ginebra whipped the RP-Smart Gilas team, 100-72.
“With both of us winning, Ginebra and us have set ourselves up for a big showdown," Cone said. “It should be fun."
L.A. Tenorio, Reynel Hugnatan and Joe DeVance came up big for the Aces, scoring in double figures each to more than make up for the lackadaisical showing of former league MVP Willie Miller in the Aces’ victory over the Tigers.
Averaging close to 22.0 points in the team’s first two outings, Miller came out flat the last time by finishing with only nine markers.
The Kings face an even bigger dilemma, though.
Go-to-guys Mark Caguioa and Eric Menk are both out with injuries, with Caguioa’s hurting knee diagnosed to be even worse as it will keep him out of action for the next four weeks. Menk is nursing an injury on his toe.
Although the Kings got past the Nationals even in the absence of their two main threats, the same can’t be said against an intact Alaska side.
“We know that Mark and Eric are not there, so we’ve got to find ways to fill their spots in the next few weeks," said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.
Meanwhile, an interesting clash is expected in the Sta. Lucia-Talk `N Text encounter as both teams carry similar 2-0 records after coming off contrasting wins in their last outings.
The Tropang Texters coasted to a 103-70 triumph over the Smart Gilas squad, while the Realtors turned back the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in overtime, 95-90.
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