CAN defending champion Ginebra prove there’s life without beloved import Justin Brownlee?
The answer will be initially known when the debuting Kings take on the slumping Converge FiberXers tonight in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The game is set at 8 p.m., with Ginebra out to launch its title-retention bid on a high against a Converge crew raring to score a breakthrough win after losing its first two matches, including a sorry 98-101 overtime setback to TNT six nights back.
Unbeaten squads Magnolia and NorthPort collide in the curtain-raiser at 4 o’clock.
The 6-foot-5 Brownlee failed a doping test during the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China where the naturalized star played the hero’s role in Gilas Pilipinas’ golden triumph.
Brownlee, 35, faces suspension. But the length of his suspension has yet to be announced, prompting Ginebra to sign up former Meralco reinforcement Tony Bishop for the season-opening Commissioner’s Cup.
Cone stressed that it’s unfair to compare Bishop, who backstopped the Bolts in the Governors’ Cup finals against the eventual titlists Kings, to Brownlee.
“Justin can almost justify the label of greatest of all time import so, it’s unfair to measure anybody up to Justin. Everybody’s going to fall short. So, I think that’s the thing that we are grasping as a team,” Cone said. “The guys at Ginebra, they are understanding that we are going to find the strengths and use the strengths of Tony as best we can and that’s what we have in front of us.
“We are not gonna lose a game and turn around and say ‘Oh, Justin would have made that shot.’ That’s not fair. That gives us a built-in excuse and we don’t want to use any excuses. So, we expect to go out and compete for a championship. And we think Tony will be a huge part of that,” he added.
Bishop will bolster the already formidable Ginebra squad that also has former MVP Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, Christian Standhardinger, Jamie Malonzo and new acquisition Maverick Ahanmisi.
The likes of import Tom Vodanovich, Jerrick Balanza, Justin Arana, Mac Tallo, and Schonny Winston will be counted upon by the FiberXers to improve their 0-2 slate.
Hotshots tactician Chito Victolero is convinced his charges will have their hands full against the Batang Pier, who are also unscathed with a 2-0 mark.
