Kia Picanto hope to find win on eighth try

Kia Picanto hope to find win on eighth try

Kia Picanto hope to find win on eighth try
PBA

Kia Picanto hope to find win on eighth try

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By Michael Angelo S. Murillo

STRUGGLING mightily to break through the win column in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup, Kia Picanto hope that on their eighth try they finally find magic.

To take on the Blackwater Elite in the opener today at 4:15 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City, the Picanto (0-7) are out to notch that elusive first win in the season-ending PBA tournament and build something on it not only for the remainder of the conference but also moving forward.

Kia is set to parade new import Geron Johnson, replacing Markeith Cummings, its original reinforcement who posted respectable numbers but just could not carry the team to a victory.

Mr. Johnson played collegiate ball at Memphis and logged time for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the National Basketbal Association G-League and Louaize Club in the Lebanese Basketball League.

He joins a Kia team still adjusting after going through a number of roster changes throughout the course of the season.

The backcourt tandem of Reden Celda and LA Revilla has been providing motor for the team with the former scoring a team-high 13.3 points per game while the latter good for 8.3 points, four rebounds and 6.17 assists.

“It’s a mental game for us. We have to stay positive and respond to adversities accordingly,” said Kia coach Chris Gavina as they endure another difficult campaign.

EYEING BOUNCE BACK

To get on the winning track, the Picanto have to do it against Blackwater (3-4), which had its franchise-best three-game winning streak snapped in their previous game and are looking to make up for it.

Hardly getting its game going last Wednesday, the Elite slumped to their first defeat in their last four games at the hands of the TNT KaTropa, 117-96.

Henry Walker had his usual numbers, finishing with 33 points and 18 rebounds for Blackwater while JP Erram and Michael DiGregorio had 18 and 12 points, respectively, but these were not enough to help their team extend their win streak as TNT answered with a thorough attack on both ends of the court.

After competing well in the opening quarter, the Elite saw themselves falter the rest of the way and on to bowing to TNT.

Prior to the loss, Blackwater defeated the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters, NLEX Road Warriors and Alaska Aces, in that order, to swing back into contention after opening their campaign with three straight losses.

Meanwhile, the TNT KaTropa (4-2) take on the GlobalPort Batang Pier (2-3) at the 7 p.m. main game.

TNT has won back-to-back matches while GlobalPort fell in its last game against the San Miguel Beermen, 115-112, last Friday.