E Painters target No. 3 vs Moultrie, Warriors
Games today (Ynares Sports Center) 4:30 p.m. – GlobalPort vs Blackwater 7 p.m. – NLEX vs Rain or Shine
Rain or Shine seeks to sustain a two-game romp against NLEX and new import Arnett Moultrie while Blackwater plays its first game under new coach Bong Ramos as it tangles with GlobalPort in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo tonight.
The Elite and the Batang Pier square off at 4:30 p.m. then the Elasto Painters and the Road Warrriors face off at 7 p.m.
The E-Painters go for a third straight win and the early solo lead in the mid-season tourney versus the Road Warriors who will play with their original import choice Moultrie.
“For as long as we move ball well to find open shots and make them, I think we’ll have a good conference,” said coach Caloy Garcia whose ROS team is off to a strong 2-0 start with solid import Reggie Johnson.
Johnson is a hulking 315-pound player that attracts a double-team defense and thus opens up space for his teammates.
He powered his way to 32 points and 22 rebounds in their 109-103 win over the Alaska Milk Aces Friday. Two nights later, the ROS gunners sizzled with 14 three-pointers to spike their 108-89 conquest of the Barangay Ginebra Kings.
But Johnson could find his match against Moultrie, a first-round NBA draftee by the Miami Heat, three years after helping Team USA to a gold-medal showing in the 2009 U-19 World Championship.
“We had problems with (Moultrie’s) availability after his playing stint in Bahrain, but now is the right time and he has the right skill set to help the team,” said NLEX coach Yeng Guiao of their import. “Moultrie is a big man who can post up, step out and shoot a jump shot, can run the floor in transition, and is a very decent rebounder. So that skill set is really what we needed to enhance our success.”
With Moultrie still sorting his problem in Bahrain, the Road Warriors played with fill-in import Adrian Forbes against Columbian Dyip Saturday. With hardly a preparation with Forbes, the Road Warriors reeled to a 103-123 blowout loss to CJ Aiken and his Columbian teammates.