For the eighth straight season, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will play on ‘Christmas Day’ with four teams seeing action in a double-header treat on Friday in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup at the Astrodome in Pasay City.
Purefoods TJ Hotdogs takes on (8-6) Burger King (5-9) at 3 p.m., while Barangay Ginebra (8-6) collides against Coca-Cola (3-11) at 5 p.m. with various activities and raffle prizes lined-up for basketball fans on that day.
The league started playing on Christmas Day back in 2002 during the All-Filipino Cup Finals with Coke beating Alaska in Game Four to win its first conference title.
This year, expect no less than an exciting pair of game as teams are jockeying for playoff spots, with the Kings and the Giants still in the fight for one of two outright Final Four berths, the BK Whoppers trying to improve their bid for an automatic quarters slot while the Tigers the last wildcard seat.
Playing on Christmas Day is no different for Ginebra mentor Jong Uichico as this will be his fourth time – third as head coach of the Kings.
“My first was with San Miguel Beer. Well, it’s part of the job,” he said.
Coke’s Bo Perasol, whose team is coming off stunning 105-92 win over league-leader Alaska last Sunday, said that they have to keep their focus on the game.
“We always play during Christmas when I was with Air21 (now Burger King). I emphasize to my team that we better make sure that our sacrifices will payoff. Imagine having to practice during December 24? Instead of being with our families,” he said.
The two games will be the last for the PBA this year before it takes a rest for the holiday season.
The classification phase of the all-Filipino conference resumes on January 6, 2010.
Defending champion Talk ’N Text meets Ginebra at 7:30 p.m., right after the 5 p.m. encounter between Rain or Shine and Sta. Lucia.
Guest team Smart-Gilas national team will also see action for the last time in a face-off with Purefoods in an exhibition game. (Tempo Sports)
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