Hot-starting Boosters face winless rival Mixers

Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

5:45 p.m. – Air21 vs Meralco

8 p.m. – Petron vs San Mig Coffee

MANILA, Philippines - Petron Blaze is hot on a two-game run while San Mig Coffee hopes to snap a cold start of two losses as the Governors Cup title protagonists renew their rivalry tonight in the PLDT MyDSL PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Boosters go for the solo lead while the Mixers try to get off the rut in their 8 p.m. duel following the 5:45 p.m. tussle between the Air21 Express and the Meralco Bolts.

Despite injuries to a number of players, the Boosters are off to a strong start in the all-Filipino tourney, bouncing back strong from their heartbreaking loss to the Mixers in Game Seven of the 2013 Governors Cup finale.

Their failed title bid is now a thing of the past.

“We are just trying to grind it out. We have a lot of guys trying to get healthy and now Chris Ross won’t also be able to help us because of a strained hamstring,” said Petron coach Gee Abanilla.

“We will just fight through it and try to hold the fort. We want to build character and show resiliency when faced with adversity,” Abanilla added.

San Mig Coffee has its own health woes, and it’s partly to blame in its back-to-back losses to Barangay Ginebra and Alaska Milk.

“It hasn’t been pretty for us so far. We’ve had to hurry along our rookies more than we would have wanted because of injuries to some of our veterans, and that has been a disruption,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.

“No one is going to feel sorry for us and we can’t look for excuses. It doesn’t get easier with Petron up next. Despite their injuries, they are up to their level,” Cone also said.

Petron drubbed Globalport, 97-87, last Wednesday then clobbered Talk n Text, 77-63, Saturday.

Air21 and Meralco, like San Mig Coffee, look to snap a two-game losing skein in their showdown.

“We need to close out games better. Against Rain or Shine, we were a stop away. We need to play more aggressively on defense in order to hit the winning column,” said Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio.

“Looking back at our first two games, we really need to make a big adjustment on our defense. We should be more assertive in limiting their production,” said Air21 coach Franz Pumaren.

Both teams have key players who are doubtful starters for this game.

“Injury to Cliff Hodge is critical for us. We must find ways to gang rebound and defend as a team to offset the loss of Cliff,” said Gregorio.

Air21, meanwhile, may well still be without Macmac Cardona, the team’s trade acquisition from Meralco during the off-season.