THE Meralco Bolts, losing finalists in last year’s Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup, begin their road to redemption today as they open their bid in the 2017 edition of the season-ending PBA tournament.

Taking on the Blackwater Elite in the 4:15 p.m. curtain-raiser at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Bolts are looking to get off on the right foot from which to build their thrust from and possibly put themselves back in a position to compete for the title after bowing to reigning champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in 2016.

IT’S ONE and one for defending Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup champion Barangay Ginebra.

As main big man Greg Slaughter makes his return from almost a year-long absence due to his ACL tear, the Gin Kings have to deal with the impending absence of another critical big, Joe Devance.

THE PHOENIX Petroleum Fuel Masters opened their Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup campaign in the column after beating the Kia Picanto, 118-105, in their tournament-opening encounter yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Relying on a collective effort, with import Eugene Phelps showing the way, the Fuel Masters bucked a spirited fight from Picanto en route to booking their first win in the season-ending PBA tournament.

FOUR teams hungry for glory will open the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup on July 19.

The Alaska Aces and the NLEX Road Warriors, teams who missed the playoffs in the Commissioner’s Cup, get their shot at redemption early, battling each other during opening day to see who can fast track its development.

THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup kicks off today with a double-header set at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Setting things into motion in the season-ending and import-laden PBA tournament are the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters and Kia Picanto, which will go to battle in the curtain-raiser at 4:15 p.m., to be followed by the debut joust between the Alaska Aces and NLEX Road Warriors at 7 p.m.

EVEN after bagging the season’s first two championships in the Philippine Basketball Association, San Miguel Beeer is certainly not content.

In an attempt to even bolster their already formidable championship core, the Grandslam-seeking Beermen shipped seldom-used rookie big man Arnold Van Opstal to GlobalPort in exchange for fellow newbie gunner Von Pessumal.

KIA Picanto finally has an official import for the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup.

After original choice Chane Behanan was measured over the height limit last week, Kia scrambled to look for a replacement with less than a week before the opening of the season-ending conference and it was able to find one, a familiar face.

THE San Miguel Beermen punctuated their standing as the most successful franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association with their 24th title following their annexing of the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup title recently. It is something stakeholders said is a product, in large part, of the culture fostered within the organization, particularly those of striving for excellence and a sense of family.

In celebration of their second straight PBA title this season, which put them in great position for another PBA grand slam after that of 1989, the Beermen held a victory party with their fans and San Miguel employees on Wednesday at the conglomerate’s head office in Ortigas.