Slashers gun for 2nd home win

Negros hopes to maintain its perfect record at home this season when it takes on reigning national champion Andok’s San Juan today in Game Two of their best-of-five showdown for the MBA First Phase crown at at the USLS Gym in Bacolod City.

The Slashers drew huge games from second-stringer Jomar Tierra and the frontline combination of John Ferriols and Reynel Hugnatan to whip the Knights in the series opener last Friday, 93-75, before a frantic hometown crowd.

Although he expects the Knights to come out tougher in Game Two, Slashers coach Robert Sison is keeping his fingers crossed that his chargers could match or even surpass the level of intensity they showed the other day.

"We just hope to feed on this inspiring win. But we expect San Juan to play a lot harder the next time because they’re not the champions for nothing," said Sison after his team’s seventh homecourt victory this season.

Expected to deliver this time for San Juan is streak-shooter Chris Calaguio who was simply out of synch in Game One, being held to just seven points – all of them coming from the charity lane.

After today’s game, the series shifts to San Juan for the third game and a fourth if necessary. Should the series go the distance, the decisive fifth game will be played in Bacolod.

Tierra, formerly of the Davao Eagles, sizzled with 21 points on a superb 5-of-6 shooting from the three-point area while Ferriols, the league maiden season MVP, had a combined effort of 25 points and 20 rebounds with Hugnatan.

An added boost to the Negros cause is the return of hardworking Leo Bat-og from a one-game suspension slapped on him by commissioner Ogie Narvasa for a punching foul against Cebuana Lhuillier’s Willy Mejia during their semis matchup last week. — Joey Villar