Favorite ang SMB pero dapat paghusayan pa — Gallent

ni Clyde Mariano @Sports | June 5, 2024

“Hindi puwedeng balewalain ang Meralco Bolts dahil malakas at may kakayanang manalo. Look, Meralco ousted Barangay Ginebra. What they did to Barangay is a strong indication they are for real. We will play our best out there sharpen our shooting and solidify our defense to avoid getting ambush along the way,” wika ni coach Jorge Gallent ng SMB.

Sino kaya sa San Miguel Beermen at Bolts ang mag-uuwi ng specially designed gold-plated trophy mula sa PBA Philippine Cup?

Sisimulan ng Beermen at ng Bolts ang best-of-seven title showdown Game 1 ngayong

Miyerkules ng  7:30 pm sa Smart Araneta Coliseum. “This is survival of the fittest of intense battle on the hardcourt. Players fit and strong enough wins the crown,” sabi ni Commissioner Willie Marcial matapos ang faceoff nina Gallent at Bolts coach Luigi Trillo para sa una nilang title showdown.

Ito ang 45th final appearance ng SMB at pangatlo ng Meralco Bolts, dalawa mula kay coach Norman Black na tinalo ng Gin Kings at una kay Trillo. Nagsilbi si Trillo bilang assistant coach ni Black sa 9 na taon at ito ang una niyang final appearance bilang Bolts head coach.

Pinapaboran ang SMB dahil hindi lang opensiba ang binabantayan kundi maging si 6'10 JuneMar Fajardo, ang beterano ng World Cup Basketball at kasama sa koponan na nanalo sa Asian Games at Southeast Asian Games sa ilalim ni coach Tim Cone. Uma-average si Fajardo ng double-double per game. “Well, I don’t want to believe my team is outstanding favorite. Bilog ang bola and many things will happen along the way. Kailangan pag-igihan at paghusayan namin ang paglalaro at masiguro ang panalo,” sabi ng 56-anyos na si Gallent.

Target ni Gallent ang pangalawang sunod na titulo matapos magwagi sa Commissioner’s Cup na tinalo ang sister team Magnolia.