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By Frank Calapre, Correspondent
AFTER WINNING two straight titles
and acquiring two more stars, Harbour Centre looks all set to extend
its dominance and hopefully establish a record in the Philippine
Basketball League.
But how strong is Harbour Centre?
Fearsome.
Besides having the high-flying JC
Intal, Chico Lanete and Ryan Araña, Harbour added Silver Cup MVP
winner Jason Castro and UAAP Finals MVP Jojo Duncil in its fold,
making the Batang Pier the team to beat in the season-ending
tournament.
Expected to provide color to
Harbour’s three-peat bid is the rivalry of Ateneo’s Intal and
University of Santo Tomas’ Duncil.
Both players tried to outdo each
other during the UAAP finals, but in the end, it was Duncil who
emerged winner in their marquee match-up.
Burger King gets the chance to
test the mettle of the star-studded Harbour squad when they clash
today in the featured match in the PBL Unity Cup at the Olivarez
Center.
Clashing in the first game at 2
p.m. are Toyota Balintawak (Toyota Otis) and Dazz ‘Sang Patak. All
the games will be aired on a delayed basis on Basketball TV (Channel
34, Sky/Home cable in Metro Manila).
Dazz, formerly Hapee Toothpaste,
holds a slight advantage over the Toyota Balintawak Road Kings
because of its formidable frontcourt combination in Larry Rodriguez,
Angelus Raymundo, Philip Butel and Francis Mercado—all standing
6-foot-5.
Marvin Cruz, the 5-foot-8 dynamo
from University of the Philippines who played like a giant in the
recent SEABA Club Champions Cup, is a doubtful starter for the
Toyota Road Kings due to mumps. Without Cruz, Patrick Cabahug, Erick
Rodriguez and Dennis Daa should work harder to get past Dazz and
join opening day winners Burger King and Cebuana Lhuillier Pera
Padala.
The Burger King Whoppers trounced
the Samigue Eman-led Henkel Sista, 85-72, Tuesday but they are
expected to have their hands full against the Batang Pier.
The 5-foot-9 Castro and Jonathan
Fernandez form a formidable backcourt combo as proven during the
Harbour-RP team stint in the SEABA Club Champions Cup in Jakarta,
Indonesia.
Harbour coach Jorge Gallent’s
concern this early is whether his boys would connect right away
since seven of his players were away for more than a week.
But Gallent is unfazed.
“Subok na sa tatag ang mga
batang iyan, so I’m confident they will deliver the goods,”
Gallent said.
Gallent is also pinning his hopes
on a bunch of veterans like JA Coching, Chad Alonzo, Jerwein Gaco,
Marvin Ortiguerra, Al Vergara, Ron Capati, Edwin Asoro, Allan
Gamboa and new recruit Beau Belga.
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