The Bataan Risers hope to bounce back when they tackle the Muntinlupa Cagers in the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season presented by Xtreme on Friday at the Orion Sports Complex.
Reeling from back-to-back setbacks on the road, the Risers are raring to please the supportive home crowd and restart their stalled quarterfinal drive in the 9 p.m. tussle of another triple-bill.
Other games pit Quezon City against Caloocan at 5 p.m. and Bacoor against Manila at 7 p.m.
Top Gun James Darwin Castro will again be at the forefront of Bataan’s offense with his 14.9 points per game average.
He will be supported by Arvie Bringas, Jamil Gabawan, Ernesto Bondoc and Kristoffer Torrado in the Risers’ bid to improve their 7-win, 4-loss record in the single round-robin elimination phase of the 22-team tournament.
Domark Matillano, the MPBL’s leading scorer with 19.9 points per game and No. 2 in steals with 2.3 per game, will spearhead the Cagers, who have dropped their last five games for a 2-6 slate.
Apart from Matillano, Muntinlupa also depends on veteran Harold Arboleda and John Cantimbuhan Jr.
Although it boasts a better 5-6 card, Quezon City MG Cars couldn’t take Caloocan Victory Liner (3-7) lightly as the Excellence are coming off a 95-87 stunner over Rizal Xentromall on August 12.
Manila (6-7) is expected to encounter stiff resistance from Bacoor as the Strikers bested Laguna Krah Asia Heroes (1-11) on August 13.