Games Today (Araneta Coliseum)
5:15 p.m. – Alaska vs. Barako Bull
7:30 p.m. – Meralco vs. B-Meg

THE import-laced PBA Commissioner’s Cup kicks off today. And already, the mentality of the teams is playoff basketball.

Two squads that went through unceremonious, unexpected eliminations the past conference open hostilities in the PBA’s second tournament offering, hoping they could start out well and sustain it this time as they battle respective  clubs at the Araneta Coliseum.

B-Meg, the top-ranked unit in the Philippine Cup elimination round only to lose twice in a row to Powerade in the quarter-finals, collide with Meralco while 13-time champion Alaska, one of two quintets booted out early in the season-opening tournament, clash with Barako Bull.

“First game. It’s a sprint. There’s no time to warm up. Slow start in the conference is out of the question. We hope to be ready and raring to go,” said Llamados’ head coach Tim Cone.

Cone, who flopped in his maiden conference with B-Meg after leaving Alaska, his team of 22 years, before the start of the season, is banking that import  Denzel Bowles would be a perfect mix for his Triangle Offense in this single-round, nine-game preliminary stage where four teams will be eliminated right away.

Bowles will be pitted against Jarrid Famous, Meralco’s replacement import who took over from the injured Jelani McCoy. Famous arrived just three days ago and Bolts’ coach Ryan Gregorio hopes that his new reinforcement could find chemistry soon enough.

“Hopefully, he can adjust well to how we run things,” Gregorio said.

Somehow, Meralco has a new look. They traded Mark Isip and Nelbert Omolon to Air21 for Mark Canlas, Dennis Daa and the Express 2012 first-round pick, and likewise took on Paul Artadi and gave away Chico Lanete to Barako Bull.

That movement rewarded the Bolts with speed.

“It’s interesting to see Chris Ross and Artadi play our back-court,” Gregorio said. “With them, we will definitely be quicker.”

“We’re ready for battle against one of the stronger teams in the league,” Gregorio said. “We will do our best to compete, stay close and find ways to win.”

Meralco, however, will play without Sol Mercado, who underwent knee surgery and will be out for two more weeks.

Alaska is another team aching to get into serious contention. The Aces were eliminated early in the Philippine Cup, a reflection of how hard it was for the franchise to adjust with the departure of Cone as head coach.

This time, the Aces are hoping that everything will turn out well.

LA Tenorio, the team’s captain, said that they have decided to abandon the Triangle Offense Cone has instilled on the ball club for so many years. Instead, the Aces will adopt the system of coach Joel Banal.

“We had a meeting and we decided that it’s time to move on and forget about the Triangle,” said Tenorio. “Now, we will be going to embrace the free-wheeling system just like the one Rain or Shine plays.”

Alaska will have Adam Parada as import, one of two reinforcements who have returned aside from Chris Alexander of Ginebra.

Alaska, however, is wary of the Energy, who happens to have a superb import.

“Magaling ang import ng Barako Bull, we played them in a tune-up,” said Tenorio.

Alaska’s point guard is referring to no less than DerMarr Johnson, an NBA veteran. Johnson was once a sixth overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in 2000, but saw his NBA career nosedive after suffering a vehicular accident in 2002.

Barako Bull believes that Johnson still has the talent to bring the team all the way.

“DJ Johnson is a good import,” said Barako Bull coach Junel Baculi. “It can help us a lot in getting Ws (wins).”

The Energy lost rookie scorer Dylan Ababou in the off-season, but acquired in return Ronald Tubid and Reil Cervantes from Ginebra.