HARBOUR Centre’s main concern right now is how to stay sharp, especially that the team has yet to drop a game in the 2008 Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup.

And as the team is about to leave to defend an international crown on Wednesday, Batang Pier head coach Jorge Gallent hopes that his players won’t loosen up when they meet the dangerous Burger King in the main game at 4 p.m.

Unbeaten in its first seven games, Harbour Centre hopes to extend its winning surge and Gallent knows they can do it if they keep the discipline and focus that are giving them early success in the league.

“Everybody wants to prove something so it’s so easy to motivate them. My only problem with my players is that they have the tendency to relax,” said Gallent, whose wards are coming off a 99-79 demolition of Pharex on Saturday at The Arena in San Juan.

“Though we have a star-studded team, I see to it that they will have to follow my instructions. The success of one team depends heavily on discipline and that’s the reason why I’m telling them to discipline themselves,” he added.

The Batang Pier leave Wednesday to represent the country in the Southeast Asian Basketball Associaiton Champions Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Harbour Centre, enjoying its best start since joining the league two years ago, won handily in its first-round encounter with the Whoppers, 83-72.

Burger King mentor Allan Gregorio knows that his players must bring their best game to pull an upset.

“We have to play 40 minutes of ‘A’ game, 40 minutes of heart and 40 minutes of focus,” said Gregorio, whose team is currently in a three-way logjam for second place with Hapee and Pharex on a 5-3 mark.

In the first game, Toyota Otis tries to extend its own winning run as it collides with Bacchus Energy Drink at 2 p.m.

Standings: Harbour 7-0, Hapee 5-3, Pharex 5-3, Burger King 5-3, Noosa Shoes 3-4, Bacchus Energy 3-5, San Mig Coffee 2-5, Toyota Otis 2-5, Nokia RP Youth 0-4.

After losing their first five games, the Sparks finally got on track, salvaging back-to-back victories, the last one, an 85-74 triumph over Noosa Shoes.

The Raiders prevailed in their first meeting, 68-60, but Toyota has played solid basketball in its last two games and got a big boost when RJ Jazul who netted a team-high 19 points against the Shoe Stars.

Yeng finds the answer

Yeng Guiao is convinced that his Red Bull Barakos have found the solution to their woeful inside game that was a major concern last conference.

Batang Pier shoot for 8-0

HARBOUR Centre’s main concern right now is how to stay sharp, especially that the team has yet to drop a game in the 2008 Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup.

PILI, Camarines Sur—Hometown bet Ricky Otilla bested five other wakeboarders, including defending champion Arthur King, Saturday to rule the men’s professional division of the third Philippine Cable Wakeboard Nationals at the Camsur Watersports Complex.

THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has approved the release of P290,000 for long jumper Henry Dagmil’s two-month Olympic training in the United States.

THE Philippine Open, the country’s much-awaited golf event and Asia’s oldest national championship, has become an annual opportunity for Filipinos to meet some of the best Asian Tour stars in one big spectacle. 

HEAVY Triple Crown Series contender Don Enrico heads the six top and tested three-year-olds entered in the 2008 Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) Diamond I Stakes at the San Lazaro Leisure Park (SLLP) in Carmona, Cavite.