Aces, Beermen clash in grudge match

Games Tuesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Blackwater vs NLEX

7 p.m. – Alaska vs San Miguel

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Cup title protagonists San Miguel Beer and Alaska Milk meet in a grudge match in a Tuesday double-header that also features former D-League rivals NLEX and Blackwater in an exciting match-up of their own in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Elite and the Road Warriors, champion teams in the D-League before moving over to the pros, face off at 4:15 p.m. then the Beermen and the Aces, the two most winningest PBA ball clubs, square off at 7 p.m.

The two remaining winless teams in the mid-season tourney, the Beermen and the Road Warriors are hopeful of nailing a breakthrough win Tuesday.

“It’s virtually a must-win game already for us and we’re really hoping to win it and get going,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.

“We'd expected that basketball will be difficult for us after our all-Filipino championship. One big reason is that some teams have prepared for the tourney at least a month and a half, compared to us who prepared just for three days,” Austria also said.

“This time, we’re up against a team which also lacked preparation for this tournament. And if they continue to miss (the injury-hit) Sonny Thoss, we’ll enjoy an edge in match-ups,” Austria added.

Alaska is barely up on San Miguel and NLEX with blowout losses to Purefoods (88-108) and Globalport (73-95) and a close shave versus the Road Warriors (96-95).

“It is interesting that both teams figured in a great finals last conference and are off to slow starts now. Hopefully, we can get it going before they do and sustain our energy from start to finish,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.

The Aces are also off to a struggling start in the Commissioner’s Cup with injuries not only to Thoss but also to Jvee Casio, Vic Manuel and Calvin Abueva.

“They’re starting to be hit by injuries because of the game they’re playing. They’re pressing all the time. It’s hard to do that,” said Austria.

For his team, Austria hopes that they finally come out with their old energy.

The same is in mind of NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez especially as they’re ranged against the Elite and import Marcus Douthit who are fresh from their very first win in the pro league -- an 80-77 upset of the Beermen.

“We’ll do what it takes to win,” said Fernandez whose troops have lost their first three games in the tourney against Rain or Shine (91-96), Alaska (95-96) and Purefoods Star (62-87.

“I think it’s a matter of coming out and doing in the game what we do in practice,” Fernandez also said. “Actually, we felt okay in our first two games which we barely lost. We felt bad in our last game against Purefoods which we lost by a blowout.”