MANILA -- The Yñares Center in Antipolo City will play host to the opening weekend of the PBA Governors' Cup.
In the official release of the schedule for the season-ending conference on Tuesday, Columbian Dyip will take on Meralco Bolts in the first game of the tournament at the said venue at 4:30 p.m. Friday. NLEX Road Warriors, minus current national team coach Yeng Guiao, and TNT Katropa will collide in the 7 p.m. game.
The Road Warriors will return to play two nights later at the Yñares Center, taking on the newly-rechristened North Port Batang Pier in the curtain-raiser of the Sunday doubleheader at 4:30 p.m. The KaTropa and the Bolts will then clash in the main game at 6:45 p.m.
Action will then shift to the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City as Calvin Abueva makes his debut with Phoenix against Columbian at 4:30 p.m. on August 22.
Also making its Governors' Cup debut is Magnolia, battling NLEX in the nightcap of the Aug. 22 fixtures at 7 p.m.
On Aug. 24, Blackwater opens its own campaign against TNT at 4:30 p.m., while Alaska begins life without Abueva against Meralco at 7 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The showdown between Abueva and his former team will take place five nights later as the match between the Fuel Masters and the Aces highlights the scheduled twin bill for that day back at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, taking place right after the game pitting the Dyip and the Road Warriors.
On Aug. 31, Barangay Ginebra begins its bid for a third consecutive Governors' Cup title against Columbian back at the Smart Araneta Coliseum at 7 p.m., right after the encounter between TNT and Phoenix.
The night later, right on the first night of September, the San Miguel Beermen will make its own tournament debut, taking on NLEX at 7 p.m., succeeding the Magnolia-North Port showdown at 4:30 p.m.
Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters, whose core consists of the Gilas Pilipinas roster in the Asian Games, will open its campaign in the first out-of-town game of the conference, a Sept. 22 battle against TNT at the University of San Agustin Gym in Iloilo City.
The PBA will also make stops at the Xavier University Gym in Cagayan de Oro City (Phoenix versus Ginebra on Sept. 29) and the Calasiao Sports Complex in Calasiao (TNT versus SMB on Oct. 20) with the venue of the road game between the Barangay and the Elasto Painters on Oct. 13 to be announced soon.
On the other hand, the league will have two twin bills in Laguna.
The Governors' Cup finals rematch between Meralco and Ginebra will headline the Oct. 7 doubleheader at the Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Sports Complex in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna. The 6:45 p.m. battle will take place after ROS and Blackwater finish their 4:30 p.m. showdown.
Then on Oct. 27, the Elite battle the Dyip at 4:30 p.m. and the E-Painters collide with the Beermen at 6:45 p.m. at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan.
Meanwhile, the Cuneta Astrodome also in Pasay will host three doubleheaders of their own, starting with the Oct. 10 schedule featuring the NLEX-Phoenix and the Blackwater-Magnolia games. (PNA)
