Games today:
Mall of Asia Arena
5:15 p.m.- Barako Bull vs. Air21
7:30 p.m.- San Mig Coffee vs. Rain or Shine
HIGHLY TOUTED import Denzel Bowles is back and his arrival definitely gives San Mig Coffee a needed shot in the arm as the defending champions Coffee Mixers look to salvage their first win against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters today in the main game of the 38th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
San Mig is off to a faulty start, losing its first assignment against Globalport Batang Pier, 75-79.
The Coffee Mixers played All-Filipino in that match after their first import Matt Rogers failed to suit up due to a bum stomach.
Rogers finally suited up in the team’s second outing but his presence hardly mattered as the Mixers got ambushed by the Petron Blaze Boosters, 73-98.
San Mig hopes to turn things around with Bowles in tow.
The 6-foot-10 behemoth led San Mig’s championship run in last last year’s Commissioner’s Cup, where he was named Best Import.
The Mixers planned to bring in Bowles for this conference but couldn’t get him right away as he hooked up with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls in the Chinese Basketball Association.
Bowle’s mettle will be tested right away as he goes up against Rain or Shine’s seven-foot-three import Bruno Sundov.
Rain or Shine started the tournament with a sorry 81-83 loss to the Alaska Aces but bounced back in their next game by blasting the Meralco Bolts, 91-82.
Rain or Shine and San Mig have created a rivalry in the past season as both teams met in the Governors’ Cup Finals with the Painters winning that series. /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA