THE PBA On Tour, the league's special feature with its regular calendar on a break to give way to Gilas Pilipinas' preparation for the FIBA World Cup, finally gets going with a lone kickoff match pitting NLEX versus Blackwater at the Caloocan Sports Complex in Bagumbong, Caloocan Sunday.
The 5 p.m. setto presented by Arena Plus with Bingo Plus as major sponsor will show a glimpse of NLEX's progress after a conference under coach Frankie Lim and a preview of what Blackwater would be under debuting coach Jeffrey Cariaso.
Both teams are playing with their old lineups, at least in this preseason series where ball clubs figure in a round-robin play without playoffs and a championship series.
The Road Warriors were a middle-of-the-pack team last season, placing sixth in the elims of both the Philippine Cup and the Governors' Cup, and ninth in the Commissioner's Cup.
The Bossing, meanwhile, hit stride and made the playoffs in the All-Filipino then bombed out in early exits again in the two reinforced tourneys -- no thanks to a spate of injuries to key players.
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Both hardly tinkered with their rosters going to the "On Tour" series.
Each side seeks to build chemistry and fluidity playing the system of their new coaches.
In taking over the spot of Ariel Vanguardia, Cariaso inherited a crew led by heady guards JV Casio, Baser Amer and Rashawn McCarthy.
Casio, Amer and McCarthy will still lead a roster that includes RK Ilagan, Mike Digregorio, Rey Suerte, Renato Ular, James Sena, Troy Rosario, Tyrus Hill, Richard Escoto, Mike Ayonayon, Rey Publico, Joshua Torralba, Yousef Taha and Gab Banal.
Lim, for his part, will have at his disposal a team led by Kevin Alas, Don Trollano, Sean Anthony and SEA Games gold medal-winning player Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser.
Tzaddy Rangel, Reden Celda, Mike Miranda, Clint Doliguez, Kris Rosales, Philip Paniamogan, Matt Nieto, Dominic Fajardo, Hesed Gabo, Bong Galanza and Anthony Semerad are also in the fold along with super veteran Asi Taulava. (SB)
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