PBA: Ginebra puts young core to test in Macau friendly

Barangay Ginebra will have a chance to test-drive its new look when it clashes with the East Asia Super League’s Macau Black Bears in a friendly game on Saturday at the Tap Seac Multi-Sports Pavilion.

Scottie Thompson Ginebra PBA

The Kings are fielding a lineup featuring newcomers Rondoy Abarrientos, Chris Paul Holt, and Earl Scottie Thompson, along with the young core led by Jamie Malonzo, Arvin Tolentino, and Kevin Ferrer.

“Magandang opportunity ito para ma-expose namin ang mga bago naming players sa Ginebra system. Gusto naming makita kung paano sila aakma sa team,” Ginebra Governor Alfrancis Chua said.

The Kings are also using the game to assess their readiness for the upcoming PBA season.

“Parang bagong sasakyan. Kailangan muna namin subukan sa kalsada kung ano ang performance niya. ‘Yun ang gagawin namin dito,” Chua added.

Ginebra will be without injured veterans Malonzo and Justin Brownlee, but Chua said the friendly game will be a good opportunity for the team to build chemistry.

The Black Bears are a relatively new team in the EASL, but they have some experienced players in their roster.

The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. Macau time.