The San Miguel Beermen is scheduled for a head-to-head game against the NorthPort Batang Pier at 5:45 PM on February 15, 2023 live from the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Metro Manila.
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San Miguel Beer aims for a quick recovery after suffering a defeat to Converge FiberXers last Saturday, as they face NorthPort, another team that is desperately seeking their first victory, in the 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup at the MOA Arena in Pasay City on Wednesday.
The Beermen are determined to get back on track right away, particularly as they prepare for a challenging game against the titleholder, Barangay Ginebra, on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Their primary objective is to remain at the forefront in the fight for the Top Four, which grants a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
After being tied with the FiberXers and the TNT Tropang Giga at 5-1, San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent stressed the importance of bouncing back. “We have to bounce back, that’s the most important thing,” Gallent said. “We’re still tied for No. 1. We have to go up again,” he added, emphasizing that they must learn from their mistakes against Converge.
The Beermen’s new bench chieftain had a perfect record before losing to Converge, marked by the early exit of main player June Mar Fajardo due to fouls. Gallent emphasized that Fajardo’s exit was not the sole cause of the defeat. He also pointed out that they committed many fouls and allowed 21 free throws in the fourth quarter, which they need to learn from and defend better.
Fajardo and his teammates are motivated to make up for the setback, and they are heavily favored against NorthPort, who have lost all their five matches under new coach Boni Tan. NorthPort’s troubles persisted as they were beaten 115-100 by the Gin Kings on Friday, despite a 30-point performance from the returning Robert Bolick and 38 markers from new import Kevin Murphy.
Murphy and his team had a strong start, but they couldn’t keep up as the Kings unleashed a 36-point rampage in the second period and roared on in the final half. NorthPort needs to start winning immediately, or they may be the first team to fall out of contention.