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| Sam Deguara's PBA debut will happen right on the opening night of the PBA Commissioner's Cup. Peter Baltazar (file photo) |
MANILA—Macau will get a quick glimpse of what the PBA playstyle looks like, as it plays on the very first night of the Commissioner's Cup on March 11.
The Black Bears, the guest team for the upcoming conference, will battle the Converge FiberXers in the main game of the doubleheader on the said date at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The said game also happens to be the first time PBA fans will see Calvin Abueva wear purple for Converge.
The tournament will begin with a showdown between Titan Ultra and Terrafirma, which means the PBA debut of towering 6-foot-10 center Geo Chiu, the number one pick of the recent draft, will happen right at the opening game.
Rensy Bajar will also have a new adventure beginning on March 11, as he debuts as the Giant Risers' new head coach.
Blackwater and NLEX will then see action on March 13 at 5:15 p.m. before Phoenix, now parading Charles Tiu as its new head coach, tackles Magnolia at 7:30 p.m., also at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The PBA will then spend the weekend in Rodriguez, Rizal, with the Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters beginning their mid-season conference campaign against Macau at 7:30 p.m. on March 14 at the Ynares Center 2, right after the 5:15 p.m. game between the FiberXers and the Dyip.
The league will then go to the other Ynares Center in Antipolo, with Meralco, featuring controversial import Ismael Romero, debuting against Converge at 7:30 p.m. on March 18, right after the 5:15 p.m. game between Terrafirma and Blackwater.
TNT opens its title defense featuring towering former NBA player Bol Bol on March 20 as action shifts to the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City at 5:15 p.m. against ROS.
Barangay Ginebra will then debut in the nightcap against the Black Bears, with six-foot-six Justin Brownlee battling seven-foot-six opponent Sam Deguara.
The San Miguel Beermen will then make their PBA Commissioner's Cup debut on March 21 against the Giant Risers at 5:15 p.m. at the Ynares Center 1, preceding the 7:30 game between the Fuel Masters and the Bolts.
For the first time since the pandemic, Tuesday games have been added to the schedule, beginning with a March 31 doubleheader that will pit the ROS and Blackwater at 5:15 p.m. and SMB and Macau at 7:30 p.m., which also turns out to be the last set of games before the PBA takes a Holy Week break.
The next installment of the Manila Clasico between the Hotshots and Gin Kings will happen on April 10 in the league's first stop for the conference at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, right after the curtain-raiser between the E-Painters and FiberXers.
The finals rematch between Ginebra and TNT will be at the last game of the elimination round at 7:30 p.m. on May 10, also at the MOA Arena, right after the 5:15 p.m. clash between Meralco and Magnolia.
