PBA: Coke, Purefoods hope to return to winning

MANILA, Philippines – Coca-Cola and Purefoods, two teams on the down side, clash Thursday in a lone Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup game at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig. The Tigers go into the 6:00 p.m. encounter parading a new import in James Penny in a move the team hopes would help improve its current 1-4 slate. Penny, who led Red Bull (now Barako Bull) to the 2005-06 Fiesta Cup title, takes the place of JJ Sullinger. He is fresh from a stint in the Liga Americas in Mexico, suiting up for Soles de Mexicali where he averaged 11.0 points per game on a high 33 percent shooting from three-point range. Penny’s arrival is expected to boost the stock of the Tigers, who are currently on a three-game slump. Just as worst are the Giants, also on a three-game slide after winning their first two assignments. Purefoods immediately tried to patch up things by dumping import Brian Hamilton for Jahmar Thorpe. But even the former University of Houston Cougar failed to stop the bleeding for the Giants following a 110-90 loss to Rain or Shine. – GMANews.TV