Tigers seek repeat vs lowly Dragons

Coca-Cola, boosted by the arrival of original import choice Donald Copeland, hopes to firm up its hold of the solo lead as it squares off with Welcoat in the Smart PBA Fiesta Conference at the Ynares Center in Antipolo today.

Though barely escaping with a 98-96 win in their previous match, the Tigers are highly favored to repeat over the Dragons, who are looking to rebuild their confidence shattered by three straight blowouts to Red Bull, Barangay Ginebra and Sta. Lucia.

Purefoods and Alaska Milk, two teams on the rise, square off in the day’s other game at 7:20 p.m.

Meanwhile, Talk n Text and Magnolia, both on a two-game skid, depart for Puerto Princesa, Palawan where they collide in a road game  at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow.

Coca-Cola gained the solo lead with erstwhile leaders Talk n Text and Red Bulls absorbing consecutive losses.

“Now we have to do our part to keep the solo lead,” said Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis.

Copeland is playing its second game with the team after helping the Tigers to a 102-80 rout of the Bulls in his debut last Friday.

The 5-foot-9 guard and partner Jason Dixon will be up against Corey Santee and Marquis Gainous in a game pitting the two teams which placed last in the elimination round of the previous Fiesta Conference.

The Dragons are aching to again hit their strides and avoid further slide entering the crucial stretch of the double-round elims.

For the record, Welcoat has yet to make it past the elims in any of the tournaments it has played in the pro league thus far.

The Dragons fell a full game behind the ninth-running Barangay Ginebra Kings as the latter made it three in a row on an 87-76 victory over the Magnolia Beverage Masters Wednesday.