Game Saturday (Naga City Coliseum)
5 p.m. — B-Meg vs Air21

Games Sunday (Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. — Barako Bull vs Powerade
6:30 p.m. — San Miguel vs Ginebra

MANILA, Philippines — One team will remain winless as tail-enders B-Meg Derby Ace and Air21 clash today in the second PBA Philippine Cup out-of-town game at the Naga City Coliseum in Camarines Sur.

Presented by Phoenix Fuel, the lone game between the defending champions Llamados and the Express is set at 5 p.m.

With three key players in the injured list – Kerby Raymundo (hip) Marc Pingris (hip) and Rafi Reavis (fractured right middle finger) – the Llamados are struggling big time, losing their first two games that gave rookie coach Jorge Gallent a rude welcome.

The Express, who took the first three picks in the annual drafting, have also dropped their first two games although they showed a big improvement in their last outing.

Gallent, who took the place of Ryan Gregorio (who is now Meralco coach) said he knew they will encounter big humps along the way but did not expect to drop their first two games.

“Yes we’re undermanned, but I didn’t expect that losing the first two games,” said Gallent, a six-time champion coach with Harbor Centre in the PBL.

Despite a hot start that saw them took several 10-point leads in the first half, the Llamados still suffered a 76-87 defeat to Talk ’N Text in their opening game. They were also beaten by the inspired Alaska Milk, 92-87, last Sunday.

Gallent, however, sees a positive outlook in their defeats, saying: “If there’s any good thing in the two setbacks, I think it’s that we lost against teams we thought we actually had 50-50 chance because of our injuries, because we’re undermanned. We fought hard but we just came short.”

The Express lost to powerhouse San Miguel Beer (86-100) and Rain or Shine (86-89), the last one was more painful.

They had a chance to win their previous game but Jeff Chan buried a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer for the Elasto Painters.

Even with the two defeats, Air21 team manager Allan Gregorio said the team, particularly the rookies – Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Noy Baclao and Rey Guevarra – have learned valuable lessons.

“We know that we need to make lots of adjustment,” Gregorio said. “Hopefully the young players, as well as the veterans can get their acts together for us to win. But we’re not pressuring them (to win), we know it would take some time.”

“But because of what we saw (against Rain or Shine) when they fought hard, we know we have a good chance of winning soon,” he added.

It’s going to be an exciting match-up between reigning MVP James Yap and and Air21’s Ronjay Buenafe, who fired 25 points on 5-of-11 three-pointers against Rain or Shine.

Also, the frontline of 6-foot-5 Baclao and the 6-foot-7 Al-Hussaini, both from Ateneo, will renew their rivalry with B-Meg Derby Ace’s 6-foot-6 Rico Maierhofer, last season’s Rookie of the Year who used to play for La Salle.