San Miguel Beer tackles FedEx in the 5 p.m. opener then Sta. Lucia Realty tangles with Talk N Text in the 7:30 p.m. mainer.
The Beermen seek to keep their unblemished record versus the Express dating back to last year while the Realtors hope to avenge a 71-72 loss to the Phone Pals in their first meeting last March 14.
After this twinbill, the tourney takes a brief break in observance of the Lenten season, resuming play Sunday with a double-header at the Araneta Coliseum. It will be Red Bull against Coca-Cola and Barangay Ginebra versus Shell.
Though short-handed with injuries to key players, the Beermen have been playing well and are fancied to keep their mastery of the Express today. San Miguel is one of two teams – the other being Talk N Text – FedEx has yet to beat since the Lina franchise joined the league last year.
"Hindi pa nga namin sila tinatalo and that will be one of our motivations in tomorrow’s (today’s) game. Kulang sila sa tao but they’re used to playing with that lineup. Lamang pa rin sila sa amin," said FedEx coach Derrick Pumaren.
Losing Danny Ildefonso back to injury but welcoming back Dorian Pena last Friday, the Beermen held their ground against the Realtors, hacking out an 80-77 win in overtime.
Pena made 14 points in the contest, thus, remaining one of five players who have scored in double figures in all their games so far this season. The four other players are Asi Taulava, Kenneth Duremdes, Willie Miller and Mark Caguioa.
"Timing ang balik ni Dorian dahil nga nawala si Danny I (Ildefonso). We’re hurting but we’ll try the best we can to stay afloat," said coach Jong Uichico whose Beermen are running second behind the Alaska Aces (8-3) in Group A with a 5-4 win-loss record.
The Express have fallen from second to fourth place in the same group as they lost their last three games. They had a chance to beat the Phone Pals the last time out but Jerry Codinera muffed a potential game-winning free throw in the last four seconds of regulation play. The Phone Pals went on to win the game, 95-93, in overtime.
Unfortunately, Talk N Text lost all its other games the past three weeks, thus, it remains only in the middle of the pack with a 4-5 record in Group B.
The Phone Pals bowed to the Coca-Cola Tigers, 78-79, last Saturday in their first game under interim coach Joel Banal.
The Realtors also lost their most recent game to the Beermen but they have won three of their last four games. They have an even 5-5 record for third place in Group A.