Ginebra, Magnolia clash on Easter Sunday

BASKETBALL action resumes on Easter Sunday with crowd drawer Barangay Ginebra clashing with longtime rival Magnolia in the main game of the Season 48 PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Gin Kings (2-1) and the Hotshots (1-0) collide at 6:15 p.m., following the match between powerhouse and defending champion San Miguel Beer (2-0) and Phoenix (1-3) at 3 p.m.

Ginebra coach Tim Cone admitted the long break marked by the All-Star Weekend held recently in Bacolod City, as well as the Lenten Season posed as a challenge for them.

“It’s always difficult to practice and prepare through Holidays. This is no different,” Cone said.

Cone was also busy during the All-Star weekend, where he was part of the PBA delegation that flew to the City of Smiles, calling the shots for Team Japeth in the All-Star Game.

The game between Team Japeth and Team Mark ended in a draw at 140-140, thanks to a five-point play by Robert Bolick.

That hoopla though is now behind Cone, with the more pressing concern on how Ginebra can continue to work its way without the presence of star playmaker Scottie Thompson.

The do-it-all guard out of Perpetual Help missed action for Ginebra’s first three games and will still be out for an unforeseeable time as per Cone, due to a bad back.

Cone, however, still has a stable of guards who can step up the plate led by Stanley Pringle, Maverick Ahanmisi, team skipper LA Tenorio and even Nards Pinto.

Ginebra opened the conference with victories over Rain or Shine and Phoenix before getting beaten black and blue by Meralco, 91-73, heading to the All-Star break.

The Hotshots, meanwhile, played just one game thus far this conference, demolishing the Converge FiberXers, 106-75.

Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Jio Jalalon, Ian Sangalang and Calvin Abueva are all hungry for the title, especially since Magnolia fell short in the last Commissioner’s Cup where the team placed second behind SMB.

Meanwhile, San Miguel will be gunning for its third straight win against Phoenix.

The Beermen routed the Elasto Painters, 109-97, before scoring a 91-89 escape act against the TNT Tropang Giga.

The team is favored to beat a Phoenix side that has struggled early in the conference in the absence of ace playmaker Tyler Tio, who is out with a sprained ankle.