After four years, the Philippine Basketball Association brings back a special Christmas Day presentation in celebration of the season of joy and in part to continue to help the nation in an endeavor to slowly get back to normalcy.
Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia are pitted in a repeat of their Christmas Day faceoff at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan in 2017—a duel of unbeaten teams ushered in by the NLEX-Phoenix Super LPG match at 4 p.m.
It’s a special bill—dubbed Season of Joy—full of meaning especially with the league’s host local government unit throwing full support.
The pro league is expressing its gratitude to Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte for making possible these festivities spread Saturday and Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Quezon City Mayor’s Office, for its part, is only too willing to partner with the PBA to give joy to their constituents and pay tribute to the biggest heroes in this period of time.
Belmonte is thankful to the Quezon City government frontliners, who continue to risk their lives and sacrifice their time and effort to make the city’s vaccination program and observance of health protocols a great success.
“Their relentless efforts, along with the support and cooperation of QCitizens and the national government, contributed to the significant lowering of COVID cases as well as achieving more than 1.8 million fully individuals ahead of target,” said Belmonte.
The Gin Kings (3-0) and the Hotshots (2-0) are both looking to preserve their clean slate heading to 2022.
Back in their 2017 Christmas Day tiff, the Gin Kings smothered the Hotshots, 89-78.
On Sunday, it’s San Miguel Beer versus Terrafirma at 4 p.m. then TNT Tropang Giga opposite Rain or Shine at 6:45 p.m.
All four matches are expected to be humdinger, with the Road Warriors, the Gin Kings and the Hotshots among the early frontrunners in the fight for the Top Four that reward twice-to-beat incentive in the quarters.
The Beermen, the Elasto Painters and the Fuel Masters are in the middle of the pack with their identical 2-2 slates, with the Tropang Giga right behind them at 1-2, followed by the Dyip at 1-3.
