Slashers shoot for third straight win vs Marlins

Reigning Southern Conference champion Negros aims to make it three in a row as it clashes with Socsargen for the solo lead today in the first phase of the 2001 MBA season at the General Santos City Coliseum.

Playing without Cid White, who was serving a one-game suspension for elbowing Cebuana Lhuillier’s Mat Mitchell in Negros’ 95-91 home win Sunday, the Slashers squeaked past the hard-fighting Davao Eagles, 96-92, the other day before a stunned RMC Gym crowd in Davao.

With White, who finished with 20 points before being ejected late in the third quarter for that infraction, back in Negros’ fold, expect the Slashers, who are at the helm with the LBC Batangas Blades on idle 2-0 slates, to go all out again for another triumph at 5:30 p.m.

John Hubert Ferriols, the league’s MVP in its inaugural season three years back, has stepped up in Negros’ second win and he is expected to pick up another huge game versus a smaller Socsargen squad, which dropped its first outing Friday, 99-114, versus Cebuana Lhuillier.

But despite losing badly to the Gems, Marlins coach Boyzie Zamar, formerly of the Manila Metrostars, is confident his team can bounce back.

"We’re facing a stronger team this time. We’re not expecting to win but if we’ll lose, we’ll not go down that bad again," said Zamar, whose team has undergone pre-season changes including the acquisition of Paul "Mr. Excitement" Alvarez from the disbanded Pasig-Rizal Pirates.

Meanwhile, Cebuana Lhuillier hopes to sustain the momentum of its Socsargen win as it goes up versus Davao in the curtain-raiser at 3 p.m. also in General Santos.

Cebuana Lhuillier’s Big 4 – Mitchell, Peter Naron, Stephen Padilla and Homer So – will be the main focus of today’s game since the four were responsible for most of the Gems' 46 first quarter points, the highest output scored in a quarter. – Joey Villar