Kings take on Fiesta Cup champion Beermen

Source: GMANews.TV

Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico acknowledged defending PBA Fiesta Cup champion San Miguel Beer as the team to beat.

And on the way to the championship, one has to go through the Beermen themselves.

Uichico and the Kings get the initial crack at it when they battle the talent-laden Beermen in the main game of a Sunday doubleheader at the Araneta Coliseum.

“If you want to be contenders for the championship, you have to be able to compete with San Miguel," said Uichico.

The Beermen (4-1) shot on top of the standings following Coca-Cola’s 91-80 loss to Rain or Shine Friday.

Just half a game behind, the Kings can catch up with the reigning champions on top with a win in their 6:30 p.m. encounter.

Making Sunday’s schedule – which has Air21 battling Sta. Lucia in the curtain raiser – is the special appearance of former league commissioner Rudy Salud and ex-Senator Robert Jaworski Sr., along with some members of the Toyota and U-Text teams that saw action in the inaugural games of Asia’s first ever pro league 35 years ago.

The guesting of Salud and yesteryear’s star players is part of the PBA’s weeklong celebration in commemorating its foundation in April 1975.

San Miguel is currently on a three-game winning roll, although it was pushed to the limit the last time by Alaska in a 95-89 overtime victory.

Ginebra has the luxury of resting for about a week after picking up its second straight win last Saturday, coming back from a 16-point third-quarter deficit to drop Rain or Shine, 100-98, in a game held at Victorias City, Negros Occidental.

Prior to that, the Kings dealt the Coca-Cola Tigers their first loss in the tournament, 98-91.

Knowing how dangerous the league’s crowd darling is, San Miguel mentor Siot Tanquingcen is not about to take chances, directing his team to take care even the nitty gritty of things.

“We have to make sure we don’t get outrebounded and give up second chance points," he said. “Likewise, we have to be able to make key stops and not allow them to get the momentum in the game."

Serving as sidelight of the potentially explosive game is the match-up between Ginebra’s Awvee Storey and Gabe Freeman, last year’s Best Import winner when he steered the Beermen to the title opposite the Kings.

Storey exploded for 40 points and pulled down 25 rebounds in the Kings’ victory over the Elasto Painters.

Meanwhile, the Realtors and Express each try to snap their three-game losing streaks in their 4 p.m. duel.

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