Ni Ernest Hernandez
APAT sa pitong laro ng 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals ay gaganapin sa labas ng Metro Manila.
Host ang Lucena City sa Game One sa pagitan ng crowd-favorite Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings at Meralco Bolts.
Akari Sports wala pang balak pasukin ang PBA
Kung walang magaganap na ‘sweep’, nakatakda ang Game Five at Game Seven sa Philippine Arena sa Bocau, Bulacan.
May kapasidad na 55,000, ang Philippine Arena ang itinuturing na pinakamalaking basketball venue sa bansa. Dalawang ulit nang nakapaglaro ang PBA dito – noong 2014 PBA season opening at 2016 Christmas D – na kapwa nilahukan ng Ginebra.
Ngayon pa lamang, kapwa nananabik sina Kings import Justin Brownlee at Bolts reinforcement Allen Durham.
“I heard about that arena. I was actually in awe when they were telling me that actually 50 thousand people … I never played in something like that. Never.” Pahayag ni Brownlee.
Inaasahang dudumugin ng barangay ang Arena, sakaling umabot dito ang Finals.
“That is what I am thinking about. Fifty thousand… that will be special. For me, that will be another dream come true,” ayon kay Brownlee. “I have never played in front of many people… just cheering. I’m speechless just thinking about it. It will be a special moment thou.”
Hindi rin mapakali si Durham sa posibilidad na makalaro sa jumpacked crowd na Arena.
“For sure. I tell people now when we were in the Finals and played for 20,000+, I always tell them that story. I’m pretty sure this will be a lasting memory in my mind,” pahayag ni Durham.
Ngunit, ngayon pa lamang, kailangan na itong paghandaan ni Durham dahil sa katotohanan na mas maraming tagahanga ng Ginebra ang dadagsa kesya sa kanilang panig.
“They showed me pictures and JD had a video on when they played there—it’s incredible. Mostly the crowd is going to be Ginebra fans but still, as a competitor, there is no better feeling,” aniya.
