Rain or Shine battles crowd-favorite Ginebra in lone game of All-Filipino Cup opener

Game today :

Araneta Coliseum

6 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs. Ginebra

Basketball fans have a lot to look forward to as the 37th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) opens today with a lone match ushering in the All-Filipino Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Second overall pick Paul Lee starts strutting his wares when the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters    collide with the ever-dangerous Barangay Ginebra Kings at 6 p.m.

Before that, the league will have grand opening ceremonies which will feature the induction of some legendary into the PBA Hall of Fame.

The inductees include terrific import Billy Ray Bates, Alvin Patrimonio, Freddie Hubalde, Tommy Manotoc, Mariano Yenko, Tito Eduque and Bobong Velez.

The group is the fourth batch of esteemed personages to be enshrined to the Hall of Fame.

There will be a lot of new things in the season—from new TV partner, a new member ball club and a host of promising rookies The league has partnered with a new TV coveror in AKTV. Games will be shown on IBC-13.

The league has new member in Shopinas.com, who will debut against the Powerade on Wednesday. That game will also mark debut of top overall pick Jayvee Casio.

Also on Wednesday, the B-Meg Llamados will parade newly hired coach Tim Cone against the Petron Blaze Boosters, who will also welcome the return of Cebuano hotshot Dondon Hontiveros.

Cone’s transfer from Alaska to B-meg was one of the biggest stories in the off-season, leaving the team he had coached for 22 years. Cone was replaced by his assistant Joel Banal.

The Tropang Texters, who narrowly missed a triple crown in the last season, has become stronger as they will now have Japeth Aguilar in their fold.

Rain or Shine and Ginebra are two of the few teams that could compete for the coveted All-Filipino crown.

Aside from the 6-foot-1 Lee, the Elasto Painters will have Jonathan Uyloan, Larry Rodriguez, Jireh Ibañes, Ronjay Buenafe, Gabe Norwood, Ty Tang, Jeffrei Chan, Ryan Araña, Jervy Cruz, Chito Jaime, Beau Belga, Ronnie Matias, and JR Quiñahan. The crowd-favorite Kings have Mike Cortez, Billy Mamaril, Jimbo Aquino, Roberts Labagala , JC Intal, Niño Canaleta, Jayjay Helterbrand, Yancy de Ocampo, Reil Cervantes, Enrico Villanueva, John Wilson, Willy Wilson, Eric Menk, Mark Caguioa and Ronald Tubid.