Hontiveros says much anticipated game against former team is just like any other game

Games today:
Araneta Coliseum
5 p.m.- Powerade vs. Derby Ace
7:15 p.m.- Air21 vs. Petron

Dondon Hontiveros faces his former team for the first time when the Air21 Express play the Petron Blaze Boosters in today’s main game of the 36th PBA Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

While this could be an intriguing matchup, Hontiveros is treating the encounter just like any other game.

“There won’t be any difference,” said the Cebuano hoop star, who was traded to the Express together with Danny Seigle, Dorian Peña and Paul Artadi midway through the Commissioner’s Cup in exchange for Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Noynoy Baclao and Rey Guevarra.

“It will be the same feeling playing against the other teams in the league since most of the players left (in Petron) were my teammates for just a year. Olsen (Racela) has retired and Danny (Ildefonso) is injured. It would have been different if those two will be playing,” added Hontiveros in a text message to Cebu Daily News.

“Plus, the name of the team has been changed.” Petron is formerly the San Miguel Beer squad. Hontiveros, Seigle, Peña together with Ildefonso and Racela were part of the lineup that gave San Miguel numerous titles in tha past.

The trade reaped instant success for Air21. The Express made it all the way to the semis last conference with their new acquisitions contributing big. Petron, for its part, sputtered and failed to advance to the playoffs.

This conference, the two teams took off to a faulty start.

The Express started their campaign with a 94-116 loss to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, while the Boosters succumbed to a 100-105 loss to the Meralco Bolts.

The 5 p.m. curtain-raiser will pit the Powerade Tigers going up against the Derby Ace Llamados.