Thursday, May 24, 2012

B-meg Targets Back to Back Championship

Never in the 23-year existence of the franchise has B-Meg (formerly Purefoods Hotdogs, Purefoods Carne Norte, Purefoods Corned Beef, Coney Island and B-Meg Derby Ace) won back-to-back titles.

The Llamados, with import Marqus Blakely in tow, start their pursue of that goal in taking on the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday.



A burning desire to make history could energize the otherwise weary B-Meg squad.

The Llamados are coming off just a 17-day break from their Commissioner’s Cup title conquest as they play the Elasto Painters in the 7:30 p.m. main game in the third play date of the season-ending tourney.

Some of them are still nursing injuries, including Marc Pingris who suffered a dislocated finger during the second conference finals.

They hope to draw the best from Blakely as they look to pick up momentum right away in the Governors Cup that is even shorter than the previous tourney.

“It’s also a sprint and it’s a must that you get to a good start,” said B-Meg coach Tim Cone.

Cone is not unfamiliar to winning successive titles.

For the record, he had got a streak of four championships and a run of three titles with Alaska.

Emerging victorious in the last conference, Cone is now a win shy of tying Baby Dalupan’s all-time best record of 15 championships.

Cone doesn’t deny he wants to match if not surpass Dalupan’s record.

Cone and his troops are hopeful Blakely is a good fit to the team.

Blakely carved a good reputation at Vermont by winning America East Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year twice and the America East Defensive Player of the Year Award three times.

He finished his senior season at Vermont in 2010 by leading the America East in steals (2.6 pg) and blocks (1.9 pg), finishing second in points (17.4 pg), rebounds (9.1 pg) and field goal percentage
(54.1%), and came in fourth in assists (3.7 pg).

He finished his career with the Catamounts ranked fifth all-time in scoring (1,875), second in rebounding (1,044) and steals (226), third in blocks (254), and 10th in assists (304). He helped lead Vermont to a 25-10 record as a senior and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The question is whether has Blakely already blended with the Llamados.

“I know B-Meg is short on preparation and this would be the best time to play them,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.

“Of course, B-Meg is still formidable even with the lack of preparation but I would rather play them early than later,” Guiao added.

Import Jamelle Cornley produced 27 points and 11 rebounds and the Elasto Painters got off to a winning start in the tourney, repulsing the Alaska Milk Aces, 107-100, Sunday. (SB)

Source: PBA.ph

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