Beermen, 3 other PBA teams set to take part in pocket tournament

Defending Philippine Cup champion San Miguel will take part in a pocket tournament which will kick-off on Monday, February 17 at the Upper Deck Sports Center in Ortigas.

The tourney, which was organized by the Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters and dubbed the Phoenix Super Basketball Tournament, will also have the NLEX Road Warriors and the Alaska Aces.

The four PBA teams will use the matches as a tune-up in preparation for the season-opening All-Filipino conference which will commence on March 8 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen will take on the Road Warriors on Monday, 12:00nn in the 2nd game of a double-header with Alaska and Phoenix clashing in the first match at 10am.

Phoenix Pulse squares off with San Miguel on Wednesday, February 19, 10:00am while the Aces tangle with the Road Warriors at 12nn.

The last playdate will be on Friday, February 21 with NLEX battling Phoenix in the appetizer followed by San Miguel colliding with Alaska in the main event at 12nn.

Fuel Masters coach Louie Alas said that the tournament will simulate regular game-like atmosphere in order to prepare the teams much better.

“Tune-up game pero game-like. Kumpleto yung stats and referees. Hindi lang televised pero game-like scenarios. Yung unbeaten, champion. Parang preseason. Gusto namin ma-feel yung naglalaro kami talaga,” said Alas.