The Magnolia Chicken Timplados and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel are all set to lock horns for this Sunday’s edition of the Manila Clasico. Will Magnolia win its second in a row? Or, will Ginebra remain undefeated in the conference?

Catch this game live on Sunday,  February 12 at 6:45 pm, Manila time.

Magnolia Chicken Timplados (1-3)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Paul Lee
  • SG: Mark Barroca
  • SF: Rome dela Rosa
  • PF: Ian Sangalang
  • C: Antonio Hester

Magnolia finally got into the win column with a 108-95 win on Friday over the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters. After three losses to start the conference and an import switch, the Chicken Timplados successfully ended their drought and will now look to sustain the team’s newfound form. Antonio Hester made a good impression in his Magnolia debut, scoring 28 points with 12 rebounds, six assists, four steals, and a block versus Phoenix, while Mark Barroca and Calvin Abueva had 19 and 18 points, respectively. 

Magnolia’s outside shooting was on fire versus the Fuel Masters, as the Chicken Timplados went 15/34 from deep. With Ginebra’s defense not looking in its usually elite form yet this early in the season, Magnolia could exploit some cracks in it this Sunday. Ginebra has allowed at least 108 points in two of its first two games of the conference.

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Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (3-0)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Scottie Thompson
  • SG: Stanley Pringle
  • SF: Jamie Malonzo
  • PF: Justin Brownlee
  • C: Japeth Aguilar

Dating back to the Commissioner’s Cup, Ginebra has now won four straight games after taking down the NorthPort Batang Pier on Friday, 115-100.  Jamie Malonzo torched his former team for 28 points on 10/17 shooting from the field, while Justin Brownlee put together a triple-double performance, scoring 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists. 

Ginebra returns the same lineup it had when it topped the field in the Commissioner’s Cup, so there’s virtually no wrinkle to be ironed in terms of chemistry for the team.  Speaking of the last conference, that same Ginebra lineup battered the Chicken Timplados in the semifinals of the Commissioner’s Cup, winning the series, 3-1. The Barangay are starting to round back into form on both ends of the field as evidenced by their win against NorthPort, and that’s bad news for Magnolia.

PREDICTION:

Spread: Ginebra (-2.0) covers the spread.

Over/Under:  The total (203.5) hits the Under.