PASAY--The first "Manila Clasico" of the 2020 PBA season will come late into the Philippine Cup elimination round as the full schedule of the first conference was released to the media during the pre-tournament presser at the Conrad Manila Ballroom here.
The much anticipated showdown between perennial crowd drawers Ginebra and Magnolia will take place on May 10 right at the final week of the eliminations.
The said game, along with the match-up between Phoenix and Alaska, will happen at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The said arena will be the home of four of the first five playdates in the Philippine Cup including the season opener between the Hotshots and the San Miguel Beermen.
TNT and Phoenix will begin their respective campaign in the first game at 4:30 p.m. of March 11 to be followed by the 7 p.m. clash between NLEX and NorthPort.
The Aces will take on Columbian Dyip, while the Beermen collide with the Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters on March 13.
The only non-Smart Araneta Coliseum game in between is the March 14 clash between the Barangay and the Blackwater Elite at the Bataan People's Center in Balanga.
The Hotshots and the Meralco will make their season debut on March 15 also at the Smart Araneta Coliseum at 6:45 p.m., right after the 4:30 p.m. game between the Fuel Masters and the Road Warriors.
Action will then shift to the Mall of Asia Arena here for back-to-back twinbills on March 18 and 20, while the Ynares Center in Antipolo will take its turn to host PBA games on March 25 and 27.
A doubleheader is also confirmed to take place at the Cuneta Astrodome here on May 13, the 4:30 p.m. game between Meralco and NLEX and the 7 p.m. match between TNT and San Miguel.
The Road Warriors and the Beermen will face off on April 25 at the Dipolog Sports Center, while the KaTropa and the Hotshots will lock horns on May 2 at the Xavier University Gym in Cagayan De Oro.
On the other hand, TNT and NLEX, the two teams mainly involved in the Poy Erram trade proposal, will face off on April 15 at the MOA Arena.
However, with the swap still pending for approval, Erram is still listed in the Road Warriors' lineup for the conference, effectively meaning Marion Magat and Ed Daquioag are still with the KaTropa and Anthony Semerad is still with the Elite.
The Road Warriors and the Beermen will face off on April 25 at the Dipolog Sports Center, while the KaTropa and the Hotshots will lock horns on May 2 at the Xavier University Gym in Cagayan De Oro.
On the other hand, TNT and NLEX, the two teams mainly involved in the Poy Erram trade proposal, will face off on April 15 at the MOA Arena.
However, with the swap still pending for approval, Erram is still listed in the Road Warriors' lineup for the conference, effectively meaning Marion Magat and Ed Daquioag are still with the KaTropa and Anthony Semerad is still with the Elite.
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