PLAYERS from Welcoat and Magnolia jockey for position in the game Welcoat won—108-101—Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. --NONOY LACZA

THE Ginebra Gin Kings will try to score their first win this tournament as they go up against a similarly struggling Purefoods TJ Giants tonight in the ongoing elimination round of the Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference.

The Gin Kings will be parading their third import this conference in Chris Alexander, a seven-foot-one 260-lb Iowa State College alumnus who played for Sioux Falls in the National Basketball Developmental League (NBDL) where he averaged 11.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and two blocks during the 2007-08 season.

Alexander, who arrived on Tuesday, will be replacing the ineffective seven-foot Ernest Brown, who constantly faded down the stretch in all his three-game stint with Ginebra.

“He works very hard and is in good shape. I think we now have a much better chance of getting our first win tomorrow,” said newly acquired Ginebra guard Junthy Valenzuela.

In playing for Sky Force in the just-concluded NBDL season, Alexander wreaked havoc to the opposition from February 19 up to their last regular season game as he posted 11 double-double performances in points and rebounds in a span of 17 games. In that stretch, the Sky Force won 10 games in clinching their fourth-straight playoff appearance eventually won by the Idaho Stampedes.

Ginebra’s woes continued on April 20 after losing their fifth game of the conference by bowing to Magnolia, 95-92. In that game, however, opposing coach Siot Tanquincen commented about the Gin Kings’ still potent lineup.

“Ginebra’s record at the moment doesn’t show the real strength of the team. Nagkakapaan pa sila with their new recruits but, eventually, I believe, they would be a top contender,” said Tanquincen, who won two championships as head coach of Ginebra.

Purefoods’ campaign in the ongoing season started to go awry after they dropped a 110-103 loss to then-winless Welcoat Dragons. Previous to that, the Giants lost a close 98-96 squeaker to the streaking Red Bull on April 16.

Reports came out that Purefoods is set to replace Darius Rice with former San Miguel import Chris Burgess, who is currently playing for TTNet Beykoz in the Turkish Basketball League.

But Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio told the BusinessMirror he will still use Rice for tonight’s game.

“I’m worried with the way we’re playing defense. We are allowing 107 points per game, that is why we are at the bottom half,” said Gregorio. “My focus is how to get better first on defense. If we get better, then the wins will come after.”

Meantime, the Alaska Aces and Air21 will try to inch closer to the upper half of the team standings as the two teams meet in the 4:40 p.m. encounter.

The Aces and Express are tied at the lower half with identical 2-3 win-loss slate.

“Aggressive defense will be our battle cry for tomorrow’s game. We also have to continue improving our numbers,” said Express coach Bo Perasol.

Both Alaska and Air21 are coming off losses, with the Express suffering a dubious distinction of being the team inundated by a record 23 three-pointers set by Talk ‘N Text as the Pals drubbed the Bert Lina franchise, 116-99 last April 22 at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Alaska on the other dropped a close 100-97 overtime loss to Red Bull in an out of town game last April 19 at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena in Laoag City.

The Aces will miss the services of import Randy Holcomb, suspended for one game after being assessed a Flagrant Foul-Penalty One for hitting a driving Rich Alvarez during the dying seconds in regulation of their game in Laoag.

Thanks for the memories, Suns…

…Or maybe that Shaquille O’Neal deal really wasn’t such a good idea.

Not that all us skeptics were saying that when they won 15 of their last 20 and ran over the Spurs in San Antonio and coach Gregg Popovich said they were the hottest team in the West.

RP-Nokia 5, Franz expecting worse

KUALA LUMPUR—The Philippines was to meet host Malaysia late Thursday and what kept head coach Franz Pumaren worried was that he would be going to a war zone aware of the possible scenarios, but not about how strong or weak the enemy would be.

THE Ginebra Gin Kings will try to score their first win this tournament as they go up against a similarly struggling Purefoods TJ Giants tonight in the ongoing elimination round of the Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference.

BURGER King ended its elimination campaign on a high note after beating Pharex, 69-65, in the 2008 Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup yesterday at the Gov. Ayong Maliksi Gym in Trece Martirez, Cavite.

SO David Diaz is insisting Manny Pacquiao will be his biggest fight ever? Ask Team Pacquiao and they will tell you this will also be the Filipino fighter’s toughest challenge to date.

FIVE more Filipino swimmers will attempt to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

Philippine Amateur Swimming Association president Mark Joseph said that female swimmers Erika Totten, Marichi Gadiongco, Jackie Pangilinan and Denjylie Cordero, and lone male tanker Kendrick Uy will compete in various meets in the US, particularly in the Janet Evans International Meet at the University of South California this June.

MAGIC Millions managing director David Chester is arriving on Monday and will personally invite local horsemen to join the highly successful June National Sales, considered to be the biggest horse auction in the northern hemisphere today, from June 2 to 16 at the Gold Coast.