The final tournament of PBA Season 50 is almost upon us now—and if it is anything like the first two conferences, then fans can expect an absolute treat! The thing is, early indications suggest the PBA Governors’ Cup could be as interesting and compelling as the Philippine Cup and Commissioner’s Cup, with juicy storylines, players to watch, and subplots to follow everywhere.
But if you’re truly looking for reasons to follow the PBA Governors’ Cup, we have six:
1. Jimmy Alapag Makes His PBA Coaching Debut
The PBA return of The Captain, this time as head coach of the NLEX Road Warriors, is arguably the headline story of the PBA Governors’ Cup. Alapag is a legend, is well loved, and is highly respected by fans and even critics of the league, so his presence on the sidelines should only level up interest in the PBA.
That’s not to mention the NBA pedigree he’ll be bringing, which should pique the curiosity of purists in search of NBA-level tactics and acumen. The overriding question here is, how well will Alapag do as coach?
2. Juan Gomez De Liaño and Converge Revenge Conference
The Converge FiberXers were huge disappointments last conference. After reloading with high-profile trades, quite a lot of pundits believed the Delta Pineda-helmed squad would finally make it to the final four. Instead, Converge struggled mightily and missed the playoffs completely.
Now, the team has had more than enough time to gel and work on their chemistry, so the best bet here is that the FiberXers will be much better in the PBA Governors’ Cup. Converge’s revenge tour will likely start with Juan Gomez De Liaño, who was slowed down by injury last conference. But he looked good in Gilas Pilipinas’ narrow 106-102 loss to New Zealand in FIBA play—and that should only bode well for the FiberXers.
3. The PBA Governors’ Cup Imports Might Be All Right
Part of what made the Commissioner’s Cup both fascinating and compelling was the great cast of imports. Early returns suggest an equally interesting and talented roster of reinforcements for the PBA Governors’ Cup, with the ageless Justin Brownlee again expected to be the yardstick.
The rest of the field looks promising. Aaron Fuller (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters), Jalen Hudson (Converge FiberXers), and DeQuan Jones (NLEX Road Warriors) are back and are expected to be solid once again. Kentrell Barkley is looking like a handful for the Blackwater Bossing, while BJ Johnson of the Phoenix Fuel Masters appears to be the explosive type that fans will love. And that’s just the half of it.
4. San Miguel Gets a Flamethrower Next to the MVP
After a disappointing campaign last conference, San Miguel responded by trading for more talent—and the Beermen got a walking bucket with a wet jumper in Jerrick Ahanmisi. The sweet-shooting former Adamson Falcon is undisputedly one of the best shooters in the PBA. In fact, ever since he got traded out of the Magnolia Hotshots, Ahanmisi has only soared as one of the league’s rising stars.
In San Miguel, last tournament’s leading scorer will be slotting right into a talented bunch that includes the nine-time MVP June Mar Fajardo. That alone means Ahanmisi will feast on open jumpers. He’ll also be bringing in an emerging skill set on offense that should only unlock the Beermen’s already fiery attack.
5. Ginebra Goes for an Encore
Last conference, Brownlee willed Ginebra to its first title in three years with a monster PBA Finals. He and the league’s most popular ball club will go for an encore this PBA Governors’ Cup, where JB figures to still be among the best imports in town.
This time around, he’ll be leading a team emboldened by a championship conquest. RJ Abarrientos will likely be more confident after winning Best Player of the Conference last tournament. Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar will be rested and more fit. Troy Rosario will be more assertive, and the “others” will probably be fired up.
6. The Merry, Fast-Paced Ways of Rain or Shine
Yeng Guiao’s merry band of brothers were one of the feel-good stories of the last conference, with the joyful Jaylen Johnson leading a fast-paced, devil-may-care style that won games and entertained fans. It was exactly what Guiao wanted, and his Elasto Painters will be looking to replicate their success in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
The good news for Rain or Shine fans is that the Elasto Painters figure to be much better. Adrian Nocum is emerging as a star, while Caelan Tiongson is proving to be an impactful two-way force. Felix Lemetti is also back, as is Luis Villegas. That means Guiao has a cadre of weapons to keep running opponents out of the gym. Whether that style translates again is anyone’s guess.
The PBA Governors’ Cup tips off on Friday, June 10, with a doubleheader at Ynares Center–Antipolo. Terrafirma takes on the Titan Ultra Giant Risers in the opener, followed by the Macau Giant Pandas going up against the NLEX Road Warriors.
