Jumbo eyes 2nd in a row

MANILA, Philippines - Jumbo Plastic guns for its second straight win against a struggling MP Hotel side, seeking to join Café France at third even as four other struggling teams try to fuel their respective bids in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup at the JCSGO gym in QC today.

The Giants, however, will be setting out in the 2 p.m. clash with the MP Hotel Warriors sans a number of injured stars, including Jan Colina (shoulder) and McLean Sabellina (fractured finger). Last week, Jumbo Plastic also lost guard Brian Heruela, who was recently signed up by PBA expansion team Blackwater, and Jan Lozada, who had opted to play in another league.

Jumbo coach Stevenson Tiu said Sabeliina remains a doubtful starter and the Warriors hope to exploit his absence as they shoot for their second win five games. 

“He’s a big loss in our rotation. His absence will surely hurt our offense. Hopefully, somebody will step up,” said Tiu.

Jumbo Plastic will actually be taking on teams in the bottom half of the team standings in its next three games – MP Hotel, Racal Motors and AMA University – but Tiu stressed the bottomline is winning.

“It is important for us to win games that we are supposed to win. If we can’t do that it will be tough making the Top Four,” said Tiu.

In the other games, Racal Motors (1-3) faces AMA University (1-3) at 12 noon while MJM Builders (1-3) takes on Bread Story-LPU (1-3) at 4 p.m.

Racal Motors and MJM Builders are coming off breakthrough wins after 0-3 starts with the Alibaba defeating the Warriors, 78-65, and the Builders routing the AMA University Titans, 90-75.