Eastern aims to bring back its winning ways in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup when it tangles with lowly Terrafirma Friday at the PhilSports Arena.
A win by the guest team would negate its sorry 83-88 loss to Meralco last Jan. 5, improve its record to 7-3, and get its groove back in the PBA while greatly enhancing its bid to land a spot in the top four.
The Hong Kong-based squad, which has been unbeaten in its top division back home and has racked up three straight wins in the EASL Super League but has lost two of its last three PBA games, is the heavy favorite against Terrafirma.
The Dyip has long been eliminated from the race for a spot in the eight-team quarterfinals, with its 0-10 record capped by an 86-96 loss to the Blackwater Bossing just last Wednesday.
Making Terrafirma’s latest setback more numbing is the fact that it could have been the other way around if not for some intermittent dry spells that enabled Blackwater to raze a couple of early 10-point deficits before going on a crucial 17-1 tear from a 63-67 deficit.
The Dyip themselves are helping stoke the Bossing’s drive after the latter made only half of the 38 free-throw shots awarded to them.
Some quarters suggest, and rightfully so, that Terrafirma is already looking ahead to the season-ending Philippine Cup, which begins sometime in April, and is using its remaining games to find the winning combinations.
For the Dyip to have a better shot at coming up with at least a respectable showing, the likes of Brandon Edwards, Louie Sangalang, and Brent Paraiso, not to mention Stanley Pringle, Kevin Ferrer, Vic Manuel, and Terrence Romeo, to crank their game even higher.
Romeo and Manuel, in particular, need to make some atonement after combining for just one point and a 0-of-10 shooting performance against Blackwater.
Terrafirma salvaging some pride at the expense of Eastern is a far-fetched idea since it has its own agenda.
Coach Mensur Bajramovic’s squad is on a high after notching back-to-back wins in its hometown league. It had little trouble taking down San Miguel Beer last Wednesday in their EASL match.
Hayden Blankley, Glen Yang, Chris McLaughlin, and Kobey Lam have immensely helped Eastern gain such momentum, which should give them a decisive advantage over their Terrafirma counterparts.