KIA PICANTO AT STAKE IN HALFCOURT SHOOTOUT SUNDAY
Kia Motors will come in full force, led by playing coach Manny Pacquiao, and will stake a Kia Picanto as a special prize in a special event during their game against Blackwater Elite in the inaugurals of PBA Season 40 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan Sunday.
Team manager Eric Pineda confirmed Pacquiao would take a break from his training for a coming fight to finally realize his dream of playing in the PBA.
Pacquiao is slated to attend a sparring session Saturday night before leaving Gen. Santos City to be in Bulacan in time for the Kia-Blackwater match that ushers in hostilities in the 40th season of the local pro league.
“Mauunang umalis ng GenSan si Jinkee Saturday night dahil may sparring pa si Manny,” said Pineda.
Manny, as the Kia playing coach, escorts Jinkee, as the Kia muse, during the traditional parade of teams.
The question that only Pacquiao can answer is how long he’ll play.
“We haven’t talked about that. Nasa kanya ‘yon. Nasa kanya rin whether he will be starting or coming off the bench,” said chief assistant coach Glenn Capacio.
Capacio is positive Pacquiao can follow their plays and patterns.
“Mataas ang basketball IQ niya. We sent him videos and he knows the plays. May mga inputs siya na talagang mga tama,” said Capacio.
Kia intends to make a grand PBA debut, fielding in Pacquiao and, at the same time, holding a halfcourt shootout among lucky fans with a Kia Picanto as the special prize.
“Kapag hindi nakuha sa game nila, baka i-offer na rin yon in the succeeding Ginebra-Talk n Text game,” said a PBA source.
Pacquiao and Capacio will have at their disposal a young team led by former PBA top draft pick and Rookie of the Year Rich Alvarez and other veterans Hans Thiele, LA Revilla, Richard Alonzo, Rudy Lingganay, Reil Cervantes and Michael Burtscher.
The rest are rookies, namely Kenneth Ighalo, Eder Saldua, Josh Webb, Paul Sanga, Alvin Padilla and Angelus Raymundo. (SB)
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