Bolts take on Elite as Batang Pier faces Painters today

Meralco clashes with Blackwater while GlobalPort tackles Rain or Shine with an eye of seizing an early share of the lead with opening day winners NLEX and Phoenix on top in today’s PBA Governor’s Cup at the SmartAraneta Coliseum.

The Bolts and the Elite face off at 4:15 p.m. while the Batang Pier and Elasto Painters collide at 7 p.m. looking to get their respective campaigns going.

All eyes are on the import matchups featuring Meralco’s Allen Durham against Blackwater’s Trevis Simpson and Rain or Shine’s James Weatherspoon versus GlobalPort’s Jabril Trawick.

Durham will be on his fourth tour of duty with the Norman Black-mentored Bolts while Simpson is a former UNC Greensboro standout who is coming off tournaments in Greece and France and should be the focal point of the Elite’s campaign.

Weatherspoon, for his part, is a Toledo/Ohio alumnus who had stints in Finland and Norway while Trawick is an ex-Georgetown Hoyas standout who played in Greek and France and was part of the Sioux Falls Skyforce that topped the 2016 G-League, formerly the NBA D-League.

The winners will zoom straight to the top alongside NLEX, which turned back Alaska Milk, 112-104, and Phoenix, which trounced KIA, 118-105, in Wednesday’s inaugurals.

Eugene Phelps and Aaron Fuller made their case for the Best Import award early after coming through with strong performances.

Phelps bucked a hurting finger and cramps by unleashing 33 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks in just 35 minutes to lead the Fuel Masters while Fuller dropped 30 points and 20 boards in the Road Warriors’ impressive triumph.

And expect two more foreigners to shine bright again after tonight.

News Service