TERRAFIRMA guns for a franchise-best 4-0 start when it battles dangerous Phoenix on Wednesday as the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup continues at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The Dyip collide with the Fuel Masters at 5:15 p.m.
Powerhouse San Miguel Beer, meanwhile clashes with slumping Converge at 7:30 p.m.
The Dyip zoomed to a 3-0 start, tying the franchise’s best start when the team was still known as Mahindra in the 2016 Governors’ Cup. The ballclub’s hot start happened under then coach Chris Gavina, with Mahindra reaching the quarterfinals in a rare playoff appearance.
Import Ali Mubashar has served as the Dyip’s catalyst after averaging 33 points, 19.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 blocks in the Dyip’s first three matches.
The seven-foot Mubashar, who exploded for a conference-high 50 points in the Dyip’s 111-100 overtime win against the FiberXers over a week ago, also shoots a red-hot 56 percent from three-point zone.
Backing up Mubashar are Paolo Hernandez, veteran forward Joseph Eriobu and the Ahanmisi brothers Jerick and Maverick.
Phoenix is looking to swing back from a tough 86-93 loss to Meralco last Saturday, a loss to ended the team’s back-to-back wins to start the mid-season conference.
Meanwhile, SMB looks to bounce back from a 119-112 loss to Titan Ultra in the Beermen’s conference debut last week.
The Beermen failed to get the needed production from import Marcus Lee, who sat out the fourth quarter with coach Leo Austria electing to play all-Filipino.
The 6-foot-10 Lee scored just four points, grabbed five rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes of action.
San Miguel will face a Converge side that lost back-to-back games since opening the conference with a 102-94 win against Macau.