NEWCOMERS GET FEET WET IN BIÑAN SATURDAY
Expansion teams KIA and Blackwater gets their first taste of PBA action when the two squads square off in the PBA Liga ng Bayan Preseason Games Saturday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.
The newest squads in the league face off at 3 p.m., followed by the clash between fellow newcomer NLEX against Grand Slam champs San Mig Coffee at 5 p.m.
Eight-division boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao is expected to get his first dip in the pro league when he joins the young Sorento squad in its first sanctioned game by the league.
Beefing up the lineup for KIA will be Reil Cervantes, Rich Alvarez, Hans Thiele and Rudy Lingganay.
Blackwater coach Leo Isaac, meanwhile, is still at a crossroads in trimming his final roster, as he still has 18 players at his disposal.
Recently acquired veteran Sunday Salvacion will be leading the potent Elite squad, which features Alex Nuyles, JR Cawaling, and Jason Ballesteros.
This will be the two teams’ first duel before the two squads once again square off in the season opener at the Philippine Arena on October 19.
D-League superpower NLEX will also get in the mix as the Asi Taulava-led Road Warriors start the franchise’s journey in Asia’s oldest professional league.
Holdovers from the old Air21 Express will still be the core for NLEX, as Mac Cardona, Aldrech Ramos, and Jonas Villanueva are still tasked to lead the squad.
But it’s going to be a tough task as they start their preparation against the Coffee Mixers, who still boasts of having James Yap, Peter June Simon, Mark Barroca and Joe Devance in their lineup.
Marc Pingris, who sat out the final games of Gilas Pilipinas in the Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, could be a doubtful starter for coach Tim Cone. (RL)
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