Osaka Waves, Volunteers clash today

The Osaka Pangasinan Waves and the Olongapo Volunteers gun for a share of second place with the RCPI Negros Slashers as the two clash today in a battle of pre-season favorites in the MBA’s first conference at the People’s Astrodome in Dagupan City.

Riding the crest of two straight victories, the Waves face the Volunteers at 6 p.m. in the much-awaited clash between Osaka Pangasinan exciting duo of Rommel Adducul and Chris Clay and Olongapo’s Jeffrey Flowers.

Osaka Pangasinan dropped its initial assignment versus unbeaten Cebuana Lhuillier (99-109 OT) on opening day but bounced back with a pair of triumphs over Casino Cagayan de Oro (107-97) and Pampanga (92-90).

The Volunteers, on the other hand, failed to sustain the momentum of a two-game winning streak following Saturday’s heartbreaking overtime loss to the Professional Davao Eagles, 91-97, in Bacolod Ctiy.

It will also be the first time that Clay and the 6-foot-9 Flowers will play against each other since parting ways late last year when FedEx Laguna left the MBA.

Adducul, formerly of LBC Batangas, and Clay are expected to spearhead the Waves’ campaign against Flowers who torched the Slashers with a 30-point outburst in last week’s 104-82 win, and the hard-fighting Volunteers.