Magnolia Beverage Masters Basketball Games Updates

Magnolia Beverage Masters Seeks Revenge Against Slumping Coca-Cola Tigers

It's payback time for Magnolia Beverage Masters against its first round tormentor Coca-Cola Tigers!

Playing with a renewed strength with its new import in Amal McCaskill and comebacking stars in Danny Seigle and Dondon Hontiveros, the team is expected to go strong against the Tigers in its hope to shore up its outright semifinals berth.

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ON-AND-OFF COCA-COLA TAKES ON MAGNOLIA BEVERAGE MASTERS FOR PIECE OF LEAD: Purefoods faces skidding Talk n Text

Source: PBA.ph
Thursday, 19 June 2008

The Coca-Cola Tigers are showing signs of slowing down lately and apparently it did not escape the attention of coach Binky Favis.

The Tigers' behavior of late obviously worries their coach as Coca-Cola resumes its campaign in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference Friday night with a basketball game that Favis considers "very important for us."

Coke (9-6) shares second and third spots with Red Bull, half a basketball game behind surprise leader Air21 (10-6) and a strong contender to make it to the Top 5 and clinch an outright spot in the playoffs.

But just as other teams aspire for, Favis wants his team to land either at No.1 or No. 2 to secure their place in the Final Four.

"Obviously this is an important basketball game for us. But winning is directly proportional on how much we focus and teamwork we put on the basketball game," said Favis, short of saying that his troops are not in their sharpest form over the past few basketball games.

But he expects the Tigers be highly energized and strongly motivated in their scheduled 7:20 p.m. encounter at the Cuneta Astrodome against the Magnolia Beverage Masters, a team scrambling to make the playoffs.

Coke dominated Magnolia Beverage Masters, 106-92, in their first meeting last May 9. But during their last three basketball games the Tigers weren’t as sharp. They went 1-2 in that stretch, losing 84-91 to the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

In contrast, Magnolia Beverage Masters has won three of its last four basketball games and appears formidable with Danny Seigle and Dondon Hontiveros rejoining the team.

Favis concedes that it’s always tough to play Magnolia Beverage Masters (8-7) because the Beverage Masters present a lot of match-up problems.

Nevertheless, he remains optimistic the Tigers will deliver when it counts the most. "I think (repeating over Magnolia Beverage Masters) is ‘doable’ but it's a tall order."

The 4:50 p.m. appetizer between the Purefoods TJ Giants and the Talk N Text Phone Pals also promises to be a battle royale.

The two teams are tied with Sta. Lucia and Ginebra from sixth to ninth places although both remain in contention for an outright passage in the playoffs.

The Giants, losing finalist to the Sta. Lucia Realtors in the Philippine Cup, are still struggling for form, losing three of their last five basketball games.

It's even worse for the Phone Pals, who are on a five-game skid.

There's no need to ask coach Chot Reyes. The spate of setbacks is surely driving him crazy.

"I hope the real Purefoods team shows up," offered Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio, admitting that consistency is still their biggest obstacle.

In high spirits after 93-91 victory over Red Bull last Sunday, Gregorio said the Giants are determined to tie "our longest winning streak this conference which is 2."

He said Talk N Text might be on a downswing but it definitely remains a solid team. "They are capable of winning against anybody in the league," Gregorio said. (DBC)