Aces, Tigers kick off PBA pre-season games

MANILA, Philippines - All 10 PBA teams prime up for the start of the 2009-2010 PBA season on Oct. 11, testing their mettles in pre-season games beginning with the Alaska-Coke matchup at the Astrodome today.

The Aces show up in the 6 p.m. game with practically the same team that placed second in the last Philippine Cup while the Tigers will have a souped-up roster featuring new recruits Dennis Espino, Ken Bono, Larry Rodriguez, Norman Gonzales, Marvin Cruz, Jojo Duncil and Fil-Am rookie Chris Ross.

It’s less than three weeks before the opening of the new season where the Aces and the Tigers are among the teams to watch along with the Talk n Text Tropang Texters, the San Miguel Beermen, the Ginebra Kings and the Purefoods Giants.

Talk n Text and San Miguel, which split the two titles last season, are also returning this campaign with intact lineups. Ginebra and Purefoods both underwent a major buildup with hopes of doing better this campaign.

The Beermen, the Kings, the Giants and the Burger King Whoppers play their first game in the pre-season in simultaneous out-of-town matches tomorrow.

San Miguel and Ginebra clash in a rematch of last year’s season-ending finals in Urdaneta, Pangasinan while Purefoods and Burger King collide over in Tarlac City. Both games are set at 4 p.m.

The Purefoods-BK game will feature No. 2 overall pick Rico Maierhofer in his first game with the Giants.

The San Miguel-Ginebra encounter, meanwhile, will mark the return of Mark Caguioa with the Kings and the debut of Arwind Santos and Denok Miranda with the Beermen.

Top draft pick Japeth Aguilar is out of the Purefoods-BK duel since he opted to join the Smart Gilas developmental team in a trip to Singapore. BK top official Lito Alvarez, however, is still hoping Aguilar would be prevailed upon to honor his commitment with the Whoppers.

Barako Bull goes up against Rain or Shine at Arellano University at 2 p.m. then Talk ‘N Text takes on Sta. Lucia at Lyceum University at 6 p.m. on Monday.

The following day, it’s Talk n Text versus Rain or Shine at 4 p.m. at PUP, Sta. Mesa.

The other pre-season games pit Coke versus Sta. Lucia at 2:30 p.m. at the Pasig Catholic School on Oct. 1, San Miguel against Burger King at 4 p.m. at the RTU gym in Mandaluyong on Oct. 2, Ginebra versus Barako Bull at 4 p.m. at San Beda-Mendiola on Oct. 3 and Alaska against Purefoods at PUP Sta. Mesa at 4 p.m. on Oct. 4.