PBA Commissioner’s Cup fires off
Games Wednesday:
Araneta Coliseum
4:15 p.m.- Talk ‘N Text vs. Blackwater
7:00 p.m.- Star vs. Meralco
Action in Asia’s first play-for-pay league resumes as the 41st PBA Commissioner’s Cup gets underway on Wednesday with a double-header at the Araneta Coliseum.
The defending champions Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters begin their title-retention bid when they face the Blackwater Elite in the 4:15 p.m. match, while the 7 p.m. encounter will have the Star Hotshots taking on the Meralco Bolts.
The Tropang Texters will be without import Ivan Johnson, who was slapped with a one-game suspension after figuring in a fight in the team’s tune-up game against the same Blackwater team last Jan. 30.
Apart from the suspension, Johnson, a former Atlanta Hawk, was meted a total fine of P50,000.
Talk ‘N Text won last year’s Commissioner’s Cup crown via a gripping title series against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
The Elite will be parading MJ Rhett, a 6-foot-9 forward who is expected to give the team the much-needed muscle in the paint.
Star, on the other hand, is bringing back Denzel Bowles, who will be on his fourth tour of duty with the Hotshots.
The former Best Import awardee led the Hotshots to the 2014 Commissioner’s Cup title.
Bowles will be bringing in PBA career averages of 26.26 points, 13.37 rebounds, 2.98 assists and 2.11 blocks.
Meralco has tapped Arinze Onuaku as its import.
The Bolts brought in Onuako after their original choice Malcom Thomas suffered a knee injury in a practice game with sister-team NLEX Road Warriors.
The 6-foot-9 Onuaku is an NBA D-League veteran and last saw action in Israel for Maccabi Tel Aviv.
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