MANILA—San Miguel Beer goes for the second twice-to-beat advantage in the next round of the 39th Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup when it faces Air 21 Express at 8 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen kept their hopes of finishing second at the end of the single round elimination following a 97-88 win over sister team San Mig Coffee last Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena, courtesy of import Kevin Jones’ 28 points, 16 rebounds and four assists to secure their sixth win in eight matches.
Alaska, which battered Ginebra Kings, 83-73, on Sunday for a 5-3 record, is the only other team, which has a chance of claiming the second spot if the Beermen loses to the Express today. Also, should coach Luigi Trillo’s Aces win over San Mig Coffee Mixers on Easter Sunday, both the Aces and the Beermen will wind up with similar 6-3 win-loss slates.
In case of a tie, the Aces, who defeated the Beermen (89-78) last March 29 in Biñan, Laguna, will finish second via the winner-over-the other rule. But a win by the Beermen today will end Alaska’s hope for taking the second twice-to-beat incentive going into the quarterfinal round.
Meanwhile, with the departure of import Josh Powell reportedly to sign up with the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association, the Ginebra Kings has no other option but to settle for former two-time PBA best import Gabe Freeman.
The 6’7” Freeman, who led San Miguel Beer to the championship in the 2009 Fiesta Conference, arrived Monday to see action for the Kings in their game against Rain or Shine on Easter Sunday.
Ginebra Board of Governors Robert Non said that the others being considered were Andre Emmett and Charles Thomas but were not available at the moment prompting them to sign Freeman, who last played in the PBA in 2012 with Barako Bull. Freeman also played with the Beermen in 2010.
