Dazz, Blu dispute twice-to-beat incentive

Blu All Purpose and Dazz Dishwashing, two teams bound to lose their key players to the PBA, square off today with the winner gaining a twice-to-beat advantage in the PBL Challenge Cup semifinals at the Pasig Sports Center.

Marlon Legaspi and Arnold Calo, drafted by PBA squad San Miguel Beer at The Glorietta yesterday, hope to lead the Detergent Kings in their 5 p.m. encounter versus the Grease Busters, whose cagers John Ferriols and Cyrus Baguio were drafted by Fedex and Batang Red Bull, respectively.

Led by Ferriols, Dazz downed Welcoat Paints, 62-49, last Saturday in Lucena City to join Blu in second place with a 7-4 record and arrange the do-or-die match for the semis incentive.

LBC Batangas and ICTSI La Salle collide at 3 p.m. in a playoff for the last semis slot.

The Alex Compton-led Blades finished fourth and last in the elite first group with a 5-6 card while the Archers remained in semis contention after ruling the consolation bracket with an 8-4 card.

LBC needs to win only once to barge into the next round while ICTSI has to prevail twice to set up a semis showdown with Welcoat, which topped the elimination with a 9-2 record to seal a twice-to-beat advantage.

But attention is expected to focus on the Detergent Kings and the Grease Busters, who are expected to go all out in a match expected to be tight after the two split their two assignments.

Blu won their initial game in Tarlac, 90-78, while Dazz came back to take the second in Baguio City, 83-69.

"We’re really happy that two of our players were picked in the PBA," said Blu coach Leo Isaac. "I just hope Marlon (Legaspi) and Arnold (Calo) got enough inspiration and lead the team to victory."

Dazz mentor Junel Baculi, for his part, admitted they have a deeper bench but said focus, more than anything else, would decide the game.

"Sa playoff, walang talent-talent, focus ang importante," said Baculi.

Baculi is expected to bank anew on Ferriols, who has been dishing out impressive efforts in his first two games with Dazz with an average of 12.5 points and seven rebounds.

Legaspi and Calo have the ability dish out impressive games but they will need the support of PBA free agents Aries Dimaunahan and Arnold Gamboa, Eric dela Cuesta, Tristan Codamon, Lou Gatumbato, Rey Mendez and John Paul Prior to overcome a deep, talented bench of Dazz.

Aside from Ferriols and Baguio, June Peter Simon, Nino Gelig, Alwyn Espiritu, Francis Mercado, Allan Salangsang, Mark Saquilayan, Joel Dualan and Eugene Tan are also expected to give Blu a lot of problems.