Meralco, RoS, NLEX try to stay unbeaten

Phoenix makes PBA debut Meralco, Rain or Shine and NLEX look to sustain their winning starts while newcomer Phoenix Fuel finally makes its PBA debut in Week Two of the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

The Fuel Masters and the Road Warriors mix it up at 4:15 p.m. then the Bolts and the Elasto Painters slug it out at 7 p.m.

In the Elasto Painters, the Bolts get a good test if their strong 2-0 start is for real or not. The Fuel Masters, meanwhile, could have a baptism of fire versus the Road Warriors and their prolific import Al Thornton.

“We are going up against a high-powered team in ROS so we must bring out our A game. Our transition defense and ability to guard the three-point line will be the keys for us,” said coach Norman Black whose charges won their first two games versus the Star Hotshots and the Tropang TNT Texters.

For his part, NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez said: “We haven’t seen how Phoenix plays, and we don’t have any tape on how their import plays. But we prepared a plan and we will adjust from there.”

Phoenix’s roster is actually not new, with the fuel company having acquired an existing competitive team of Barako Bull.

In the recent Philippine Cup, NLEX and Barako Bull finished with identical 5- 6 win- loss records in the eliminations. Both made the first phase of the quarterfinals but failed to progress any further.

“NLEX has a formidable lineup and a very good import. They are taller and heftier. They have a lot of different looks with their lineup. We can’t find any edge against them. The plan is just to force them to play our style of game,” said Phoenix coach Koy Banal.

Thornton sizzled with a huge 50-point game in his PBA comeback and NLEX made a triumphant debut in the midseason tourney with a 114-112 overtime decision over Barangay Ginebra on Friday.

Without the benefit of a single practice session with Meralco, Arinze Onuaku made a solid debut with the team, leading the Bolts to a 90-86 drubbing of the Star Hotshots on opening night of the mid-season tourney. They then made it two in a row Saturday with an 88-84 drubbing of a TNT side which lost import Ivan Johnson with over four minutes left in the first half.—