2nd win pakay ng Kings at Hotshots sa Game 2

ni Gerard Arce - @Sports | March 25, 2022

Kapwa hangad ng San Miguel franchise sister-company na Brgy. Ginebra at Magnolia Hotshots na makuha ang ikalawang sunod na panalo sa Games 2 ng best-of-five semifinal series kontra MVP Groups na NLEX Road Warriors at Meralco Bolts sa 2021 Honda PBA Governor’s Cup sa Mall of Asia Arena sa Pasay City.

Nailista ng SMB teams ang first blood sa MVP groups para mas lumapit pa sa inaasam na “Manila Classico” final match-up, ngunit hindi papayag ang Road Warriors at Bolts na magtagumpay ang mga plano ng Gin Kings at Hotshots. Nakatakdang magtapat sa unang laro ang Gin Kings at Road Warriors sa 3 p.m. na susundan ng 2021 PHL Cup semis rematch ng Hotshots at Bolts ng 6 pm.

Problemado ngayon ang Gin Kings na kahit nakopo ang Game 1 ay iniisip ang kawalan ng prize-high flying forward na si Japeth Aguilar na nagtamo ng calf injury. Hahanapan pa ng paraan ni coach Tim Cone sa bench ang maaaring humalili at pumalit sa naiaambag ng 35-anyos na 5-time champion at 2019 Gov’s Cup Finals MVP. “We don’t know how long or when he will be back again in the series, because calf injuries are very delicate. Without Japeth, maybe around some games, is very crucial, we need to fill and set up defensively and run some nice plays. If we want to defeat a Yeng Guiao team, we need to grind out the game, he’s gonna make grind it, we did it today (Miyerkules), hopefully we can do it on Friday,” ayon sa 64-anyos na 23-time PBA champion.

Maaaring huhugot si Cone kina Sydney Onwubere, Aljon Mariano, Prince Caperal, at Brian Enriquez, habang magdodoble trabaho sina import Justine Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, Christian Standhardinger, Jeff Chan, Arvin Tolentino, Nards Pinto at LA Tenorio.

Kinakailangan namang tutukan ng Hotshots ang mabagal na panimula kontra Bolts na tinambakan sila ng 17-puntos sa first half hanggang sa kumamada na lang sa second half sa pagbuhay ni Jio Jalalon, import Mike Harris, Paul Lee at Calvin Abueva.