Games Friday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

3 p.m. — Bay Area vs Meralco

5:45 p.m. — NorthPort vs Rain or Shine

Returning KJ McDaniels faces an early test when he reinforces Meralco against leader Bay Area in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner's Cup on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

McDaniels, a former National Basketball Association campaigner, returns to action for the first time since powering NLEX in the season-ending Governors' Cup last year when he leads the Bolts in their 3 p.m. battle against the Dragons.

With a 1-5 win-loss card, things are looking bleak for the Bolts to make the playoffs unless they put together a string of victories and it must start against the visiting squad, which had won six of its first seven matches to virtually secure a spot in the quarterfinals.

McDaniels could be the answer to Meralco's woes.

He first saw action in 2019 and nearly led TNT Tropang Giga to the championship round until falling prey to Allen Durham and Meralco in the semifinals.
He made a return last year to play for the Road Warriors, leading them to a second-best record in the eliminations. Unfortunately for NLEX, he had to cut short his mission as he returned to the United States midway into the tournament to attend to an urgent family matter.

McDaniels will not only play the role as the last action hero for the Bolts, but he will use this as an early test to potentially lock his spot as their reinforcement for the Governors' Cup.

For Bay Area, it's going to be business as usual as the two-week break had somehow allowed it to recharge and refocus on achieving its mission of becoming the latest visiting team to win a PBA title.