BATANG PIER, EXPRESS KICK OFF HOSTILITIES
GARY David is not one to mince words when asked if he will play for GlobalPort just three days after an emotionally draining and strength-sapping Gilas Pilipinas stint.
“Lalaro ako,” said David, referring to the Batang Pier’s collision with Air21 Wednesday kicking off the season-ending PBA Governors Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
GlobalPort coach Junel Baculi, however, has other plans for his star forward. “Not yet, maybe next game,” he said.
There are very good reasons why David wants to do away with any well-earned respite.
Tournament format calls for a sprint-like single round eliminations for the 10 teams with only the top eight advancing to the playoffs.
Also, GlobalPort is aching to atone for its first two conferences with the league, when it wound up last each time.
And David has a lot of making up to do to refamiliarize himself with the Batang Pier, who have undergone some major roster changes while he was away the last three months.
Trade acquisitions Jay Washington, Yousif Taha and Hans Thiele and the oft-injured Kelly Nabong have been beefed up by the likes of Marvin Hayes and Chad Alonzo, not to mention import Markeith Cummings.
The relative new look for his team is something Baculi wanted for more defense and hustle and he is foremost among those wanting to see how it passes its first formal test. “We are all excited to play,” he said.
“This conference will be a sprint,” added Baculi. “Our goal is to get W’s early on. With new players and our import, we have to work on team chemistry ASAP.”
Air21 is certainly not going to be any easy picking since the Express also want to go deeper than their two recent quarterfinals stints and a good start would certainly prop their own campaign.
To boost their bid, coach Franz Pumaren has brought back prolific import Zach Graham and beefed up his own lineup by trading for veteran Carlo Sharma and fellow frontliner Vic Manuel. (NC)
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