The Cebuana Lhuillier Gems and the RCPI Negros Slashers are the dominant teams of the Southern Conference and competition is again expected to be intense as they dispute the solo lead in the Southern Division.
Unbeaten in their first three starts, the Gems are slightly favored over the Slashers owing to their home court advantage and high morale after surviving the challenge of the Casino Cagayan de Oro Amigos, 106-101, at the CDCC Sports Complex in San Fabian, Pangasinan on Sunday.
The Gems returned to Cebu yesterday and coach Francis Rodriguez immediately held a light workout in preparation for their game against the Slashers, who beat them for the Southern Conference crown last year.
"We need to win this one and our game on Monday (at home versus the Amigos)," said Rodriguez. "Now that the boys have gotten the respect of the other teams, I told them to keep it up."
The Slashers shouldn’t be pushovers, though, as they have also shown their capability when they thwarted the reigning national champions LBC Batangas Blades, 76-70, on Saturday at the USLS Gym in Bacolod City.
Rodriguez will again be banking on Bruce Dacia, Stephen Padilla, Buboy Rodriguez, Jercules Tangkay and Egay Echavez for the points and Marc Pingris, Melvin Taguines, Jessie Lumantas and Chris de Jesus for the rebounds.
Coach Joshua Villapando of the Slashers, on the other hand, will depend on 1998 MVP John Ferriols, Reynel Hugnatan, Patrick Benedicto, Reuben dela Rosa and Dennis Madrid.
The Amigos try to end their four-game misery when they tangle with the Professional Davao Eagles in the 3 p.m. opener.
Again crumbling in the homestretch, the Amigos bowed to the Pampanga Stars, 93-85, Thursday night at the Mindanao Polytechnic State Colleges Gym.
Ahead in the first three quarters, the Amigos allowed the Stars, led by playing coach Ato Agustin, to score 32 points in the fourth quarter that handed Pampanga its first win in four games.
Atoning for his sub-par performance in the Stars’ past two defeats, Agustin fired 19 points and was ably supported by Richard Melencio with 14. Dave Bautista also shone with nine points and 15 rebounds.