Beermen vs Aces, Elite face Warriors in vital tiffs

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Cup title protagonists San Miguel Beer and Alaska Milk face off in a grudge match in a crucial Tuesday twinbill that also features former D-League rivals NLEX and Blackwater, the two other teams trying to stave off early elimination in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

The Elite and the Road Warriors, champion teams in the D-League before moving over to the pros, clash at 4:15 p.m. then the Beermen and the Aces, the two winningest PBA ball clubs, square off at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The two remaining winless teams in the mid-season tourney, the Beermen and the Road Warriors hope to finally snap out of their three-game skid and get back in the hunt in the single round elims of the mid-season tournament.

“It’s virtually a must-win game already for us and we’re really hoping to win it and get going,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.

“We expected that basketball will be difficult for us after our all-Filipino championship. One big reason is that some teams have prepared for the tourney at least a month and a half, compared to us who prepared just for three days,” Austria also said.

“This time, we’re up against a team which also lacked preparation for this tournament. And if they continue to miss (the injury-hit) Sonny Thoss, we’ll enjoy an edge in match-ups,” Austria added.