
Unbeaten Magnolia and third-running Meralco face off in what will serve as the featured match of the PBA Philippine Cup’s resumption Wednesday, Sept. 1 at the Don Honorio Ventura State University in Bacolor, Pampanga.
The Hotshots-Bolts clash is set at 6 p.m. in a battle between two teams that started strong before the season-opening conference was put on hold due to Enhanced Community Quarantine regulations imposed on Metro Manila.
Magnolia opened the season with four straight victories, including a 105-83 rout of Terrafirma last July 30 which turned out to be its last game before the stoppage.
Meralco produced four wins in five matches, picking up where it left off during last season’s Philippine Cup bubble in Angeles City when it reached the semifinals.
TNT and San Miguel Beer also aim to rise up in the standings when they face two teams with similar 0-4 slates as part of the tripleheader.
Perfect through three games since Chot Reyes made his return on the sidelines, TNT faces Blackwater at 12:30 p.m. to kick off the league’s resumption after a month-long layoff.
The game will also serve as a homecoming for TNT star Jayson Castro, who studied at DHVSU during high school as both a varsity member of both basketball and track and field.
SMB, with a 3-1 record and perfect since dropping its opening assignment to Meralco, meets Terrafirma at 3 p.m. with CJ Perez taking on his former team for the first time.