UFO pool play chugs along this weekend

The 2004 UFO-San Miguel Cup’s regular seven-game weekend schedule resumes tonight at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

First up is the collision between LIPS-Jam Construction and Laguna-GEC Pawnshop, two teams with identical 1-2 win-loss records that hope to raise their marks to .500 in Group B.

Expected to star for LIPS in the 6pm scheduled game are ex-CCA TAE Logistics hitman Manny Guimalan, underrated center Jojo Guinto, and Bicol discard Rene Pe.

Laguna, for its part, will continue to rely on the shooting prowess of Ed Palma with help from veterans like Fyke Sabino, Randy Arconado, and Renato Sumaoang.

Three-time champion SIP-Verizon then tests its retooled lineup when it goes up against a shaky MDX Amateur Radio Club team in the 8pm second game between the two Group A teams.

Former MVP Rick Alegre continues to anchor SIP’s vaunted fastbreak attack, but instead of the likes of Sonny Ranola and Junar Guiab running with him on the wings, Alegre now has last year’s Rookie of the Year James Villacrusis and ROY early favorite Jason Amado.

MDX is shaping up to be this season’s early bust. Coach Benjie Abadilla not only lost sparkplug Peter Mendiola to SIP during the off season, but also got a blow when emerging star Carlito Mendiola left the team for greener pastures in California. Left to man the fort are veterans Martin Moreno, Bong Malasarte and Richard Pambid.

The UFO also has scheduled a doubleheader beginning at 6pm on Saturday. Defending champion Visminda-Country House will resume its quest for perfection when it goes up against MAFILWA-McDonald’s.

Visminda has such a plethora of big name players that the team could afford not to play do-it-all Banjo Basila most of the time.

And if the combo of Ed Cosino, Jawn Joyner, Danny Bicera, Chris Domingo, and Pando Muleta in some bizarre way fail to click, coach Boy Garcia always has a Marianas Trench-like bench to call on for help.

Outside of Larry Lizo and Jimmy Salazar, MAFILWA doesn’t really have UFO veterans but the team has a steady playmaker in Ferdie Tobias and a bona fide scorer in Joseph Achas.

MAFILWA’s only chance of upsetting Visminda is if the people over at McDonald’s deliver Big Macs and chicken nuggets galore to the homes of Visminda players in hopes that overeating would throw their games out of sync.

After the Group B action between Visminda and MAFILWA, the UFO soldiers on with Group A powerhouses Cabalen-RP Construction and Bartenders-Aliviera Sports Bar taking on each other in the 8pm nightcap.

Cabalen is in solo first place in the division with a 3-0 mark and boasts of a solid starting lineup that includes Jhun Alipio at center, Ronald Delos Reyes at power forward, Darwin Barbo at small forward, Paul Magcalas at shooting guard, and Randy Arnedo running the point.

Bartenders’ first five is also nothing to sneeze at with last year’s rookie sensation Dalewin Cortez manning the slot, sharphooter Marco Garcia and versatile Bogs Dayrit in the forward spots, and speedy Elmer Esdrelon and Adonis Macoto on the backcourt.

The league’s weekend slate concludes on Sunday with a tripleheader. First game will have SMF-Seabridge hoping to extend its win streak to four when it tangles with LIPS. The middle game then pits FASA PABA-CNC Inc. versus SIP, while the final game will have Bayani taking on Cavite-Pacific Islands Club.