Alaska eyes first victory

Games today:

Araneta Coliseum

5:30 p.m.- Alaska vs. Meralco

7:45 p.m.- Talk ‘N Text vs. Petron

THE LISTLESS Alaska Aces face a dangerous opponent in their quest to finally end their misery as they play the Meralco Bolts in today’s first game of the 37th PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

In the main game, the defending champions Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters and the Petron Blaze Boosters play against each other in a rematch of last conference’s championship showdown.

Alaska is one of the two teams that have yet to win in the tournament, sporting a 0-4 (win-loss) card. The lowly Shopinas.com Clickers are the other winless squad with a 0-5 slate.

Alaska has yet to win under new head coach Joel Banal and is fresh from their worst defeat in franchise history after they got mangled by the league-leading Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 84-120, last Sunday.

The pressure to stop their slide is mouting for the Aces and they are hoping that their off-season success against the Bolts will give them the needed boost going into today’s game.

The Aces defeated the Bolts, 67-61, last Sept. 24 during the Cebu City Mayor`s Cup Invitational Games and also logged an 82-80 win against the same team in a tune-up game last Sept. 17.

The Bolts are looking for a good follow-up of their impressive 80-70 trashing of the erstwhile unbeaten Petron Blaze Boosters. That was Meralco’s third win in five games.

Petron tries to rebound from that loss against the Texters, who are looking some sort of revenge.

The Texters lost to the Blazers in the Governor’s Cup Finals that denied them what could have been a rare grand slam accomplishment.

Both teams sport 3-1 records, joing the Barako Bull Energy at second place behind the 4-1 Rain or Shine.

Talk ‘N Text is fresh from a gripping 96-94 win over the B-Meg Llamados. /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA