BARAKO BULL STAKES UNBEATEN SLATE AGAINST REJUVENATED MERALCO
Looking at the current team standings, the first thing one willl notice is something very surprising to many – a quarter of the way in the single round-robin eliminations, Barako Bull is the only remaining team which has yet to taste a defeat in this year’s Governors’ Cup.
This comes on the heels of Barako Bull’s big 100-87 win over Talk ‘N Text nine days ago.
Come Sunday, as the PBA takes its action back to the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, the Energy will be gunning for its fourth victim this conference against Meralco.
“We talked about dodging a big fish because Talk ‘N Text was not complete. But a win is a win and we needed that confidence,” said Barako Bull head coach Koy Banal after the win over the Tropang Texters which gave them a second straight 3-0 start in a conference.
Though early leaders once more this conference, the Energy are on their toes however as they do not want to replicate the fate they tasted last Commissioner’s Cup, as their early start slowly fizzled as the tournament unfolded.
JC Intal thinks that is already a lesson learned for the squad.
“Maganda yung takbo namin ngayon. Nakuha na namin yung balance ng team na wala last conference,” he said.
However, Batako Bull will be up against a scary Meralco squad, which has had an up-and-down conference so far.
At 2-2, Meralco head coach Norman Black knows the Bolts are still far from the form he envisioned them to be at the start of the conference. But an 83-81 squeaker against defending champion Star last Sunday is a big confidence boost for them, and that victory allowed Black a glimpse of the untapped potential of his team.
“That’s what we really have to do: we have to play as a team if we want to have success this conference,” he said.
Barako Bull has a formidable task ahead with Meralco having already activated Jared Dillinger from the injured/reserve list and will already be parading Kelly Nabong, whom the Bolts reacquired from GlobalPort in a three-team trade with NLEX.
Tip-off time for this Barako Bull-Meralco first game is at 3 p.m. (RL)
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.
