Ginebra and Taipei Kings to face each other in friendly match in Macau

Manila, Philippines — BARANGAY Ginebra will face defending P.League+ champion New Taipei Kings in a practice match at the Tap Seac Multi-Sport Pavilion on Wednesday.

Coach Tim Cone and the rest of the team left for Macau on Tuesday.

The match will start at 8:30 p.m. Filipino workers from the Special Administrative Area of ​​China are expected to cheer on the most popular baseball club of the PBA.

Also making their debut in the exhibition game are new signings Stephen Holt and Isaac Go, and RJ Abarrientos, the third overall pick in the 2024 PBA Annual Rookie Draft, will make his debut.

Holt and Go joined the Gin Kings after being involved in a blockbuster deal that saw Ginebra send veterans Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle to Terrafirma Dyip just before draft day.

However, Ginebra will be without injured wingers Jamie Malonzo, Jeremiah Gray and PBA Season 46 Most Valuable Player Scottie Thompson.

Abarrientos and Holt bring a combination of youth and dynamism, but also solid play and shooting to a Ginebra backcourt that has relied on LA Tenorio and Pringle for years.

The 24-year-old Abarrientos is fresh from a spell with Strong Group, with whom he recently won the William Jones Cup in Taiwan.

The Gin Kings will take on a professional baseball club from Taiwan that won the team’s first-ever P.League+ title in June last year after defeating the Taoyuan Paouian Pilots in their last series.

Former NBA champion Jeremy Lin and his brother Joseph are among New Taipei’s stars, along with 2024 P.League+ MVP Lee Kai-Yan and Kenny Manigault. RICHARD DY