Games Today
(Smart Araneta)
4:15 p.m. – Meralco vs NLEX
7 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs SMB
Beleaguered Rain or Shine (ROS) parades a new import against Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer – its third for the conference – even as league-leader Meralco seeks to get back on the winning track today in the Oppo-PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Meralco, 5-1, takes on sister team NLEX at 4:15 p.m., while Rain or Shine faces San Miguel at 7 p.m.
June Mar Fajardo expects another tough game as San Miguel Beer plays Rain or Shine today in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Having lost three of their last four games and are currently tied with Phoenix Petroleum and NLEX at seventh place with 2-3 cards, the ROS Elasto Painters are flying in 32-year-old Mo Charlo to replace Antoine Wright, who has been anything but the right replacement for the injured Wayne Chism.
Coming out of Eureka, California, Charlo made his mark in the NBA D-League but was undrafted and has recently wrapped up a stint with the Hamamatsu Phoenix in the Japanese J-league.
Charlo’s arrival will coincide with the return of star point guard Paul Lee from a minor left knee injury that has kept him out action since Game 5 of the Philippine Cup semifinals against SMB, which went on to beat Alaska in seven games in the championship.
“Mas ok yung nararamdaman ko ngayon,” Lee told Spin.ph recently. “Maganda naman kasi yung kinalabasan ng therapy and strengthening ko.”
Looking to give Lee a rude welcome are SMB’s Chris Ross, Alex Cabagnot and, should the former University of the East star choose to drive right through the Beermen’s frontline defense, 6-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo.
Charlo, for his part, will have his hands full matching up with the explosive Tyler Wilkerson as SMB looks to extend its winning run to four and catch up with second-running Alaska behind the Bolts.
Meralco went through déjà vu a few days ago as it saw a five-game winning streak snapped by San Miguel, the same team that ended a similar five-game run in last season’s Commissioner’s Cup.
Now the Bolts, with burly Arinze Onuaku, hope to regain lost footing against a team that needs more than just a foothold to get back in strong playoff contention after dropping its last two games. The Road Warriors, with the hobbled Al Thornton, are but a rung above 10th to 12th-placed teams Globalport, Star and defending champion Tropang TNT on 2-4 slates and a loss would be disastrous.
ROMEO OUT FOR A WEEK
The right calf muscle of Globalport guard Terrence Romeo showed no tear but the high-scoring playmaker is required to have a few days off to recover from the injury as he is listed day-to-day in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup last Sunday.
Romeo had MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) last Wednesday, and results came out negative yesterday. The former Far Eastern University has not joined the team’s practice session and the Monday training of coach Tab Baldwin with Gilas Pilipinas.
“It’s welcome news for us because there is no tear on the calf muscle of Terrence,” said Globalport official Erick Arejola in a telephone interview.
“There will still be an assessment as far as his recovery and therapy is concerned. One week or two weeks, we still don’t know. The initial is he’s been listed as day-to-day, but he’ll be assessed by our team doctors,” added Arejola.
Globalport meets Alaska tomorrow at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City, and plays Star this coming Friday at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City.
The 5-11 Romeo hurt his calf in the first half of Globalport’s game against Blackwater last Sunday. The injury limited his playing minutes in the second half of the game won by the Elite, 115-103. (With reports from Waylon Galvez)