ACES NOT TAKING UNDERMANNED KINGS LIGHTLY
Luigi Trillo is well aware of the manpower problem of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel but the Alaska Aces coach is the last person who would take the Kings for granted in their grudge match Sunday.
“No matter what’s the circumstance, you just can’t count them out. They’re really a fighting team,” said Trillo.
The Kings deal with the absence of big men Japeth Aguilar and Kerby Raymundo as they clash with the Aces in the PBA Governors’ Cup at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Coach Ato Agustin hopes LA Tenorio, Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand will shine to make up for the team’s lack of inside presence with the ouster of Aguilar.
The 6-foot-9 center/forward may be sidelined for about a month after suffering an MCL (medial collateral ligament) sprain on a bad fall towards the end of the first quarter of their match with the Barako Bull Energy Friday.
Agustin said Aguilar is out for the rest of the short elimination round of the season-ending tourney.
Ginebra is left with only Dior Lowhorn, Billy Mamaril, Rico Maierhofer, Chris Ellis and Mac Baracael to turn to at the frontcourt with Raymundo nursing a sore knee.
Against Alaska, the Kings’ No. 1 concern is how to match up with the Aces’ tough frontline crew led by import Wendell McKines, Sonny Thoss and pesky rookie Calvin Abueva. I
In McKines, Trillo found a perfect guy taking over from Rob Dozier, who dominated Vernon Macklin and the Kings as Alaska scored a mighty four-game sweep in their title showdown in the recent Commissioner’s Cup.
In the Governors’ Cup, Alaska barged into the win column Wednesday on a 94-79 rout of defending champion Rain or Shine.
“We have fresh legs and we took advantage of that,” said Trillo.
The Aces enjoy the same advantage going up against a Ginebra team playing a second game in three nights.
Alaska is at 1-1 while Ginebra is at 1-2.
Playing only their second game in the tourney and first in five days, the Aces ran roughshod over the Elasto Painters and finally joined all the other teams in the win column.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well and we gave away more than 90 points in our first game. Kulang sa gigil. Ngayon, there’s a little more fire in our eyes,” said Trillo.
The Aces were a determined lot, punishing the E-Painters badly in the middle. McKines, with his brute strength, was a big punisher, coming through with 30 points all inside the paint. The question is whether Lowhorn has got what it takes to match up with McKines. (SB)
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
