PBA teams in Cebu
Cebuano basketball fans are in for a rare treat as three squads from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) have chosen the Queen City of the South as their training ground when they compete in the Mayor Michael L. Rama Sinulog Cup 2013, which kicks off today at the Cebu Coliseum.
Crowd darlings, Barangay Ginebra Kings, the Petron Blaze Boosters and the Alaska Aces are in town for a round-robin tournament which includes Cebu’s most successful amateur club, the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Ninos. The PBA squads are using the event as a build-up leading to the PBA’s second conference, the import-laden Commissioner’s Cup.
Getting first crack at MLKP will be the Alaska Aces, who are coming off a successful stint in the Philippine Cup where they made the semifinal round behind the scintillating play of prized rookie, Calvin “The Beast” Abueva along with JV Casio; former Southwestern University Cobra, Cyrus Baguio and Cebuano wingman, Dondon Hontiveros. They will have in tow, their import, former Miami Heat draftee, Robert Dozier.
They will also feature another Cebuano in their fold in the newly-acquired, Aldrech Ramos, who they traded for in exchange for Mac Baracael, who coincidentally, will be in this very same tournament, playing for the Kings.
Ginebra will be playing in the second game at 7 p.m. against Petron, who will be bannering former University of Cebu giant and this year’s top draft pick, June Mar Fajardo.
The 6-foot-10 center from the municipality of Pinamungahan is expected to show off his ever-improving game before the Cebuano crowd which has supported him from the time he was just an oft-injured neophyte towards the dominant cager that he is now.
Fajardo will be teaming up in the frontcourt with energetic import, Renaldo Balkman, formerly of the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets.
The Kings will contend with their loaded backcourt which boasts of reigning league MVP, Mark Caguioa, LA Tenorio, and former MVP, Jayjay Helterbrand. Ginebra has chosen to tap former Philadelphia Sixer, Herbert Hill.
