By Jonas Terrado

Game Thursday

(Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City)

3:30 p.m. — Marinerong Pilipino vs Sumisip-St. Clare

Talent against desire will be the theme of the PBA D-League Foundation Cup Finals showdown between Marinerong Pilipino and BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare which starts Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Eloy Poligrates and Joshua Fontanilla hope to lead their teams to victory in Game 1 of the PBA D-League Foundation Cup Finals. (PBA Images)

Game 1 of the best-of-three series tips off at 3:30 p.m. with Marinerong Pilipino holding the edge over Sumisip-St. Clare after winning all nine games since the start of the conference bolstering a collection of ex-pros and top non-collegiate standouts.

Coach Yong Garcia will bank on Most Valuable Player contender Eloy Poligrates, John Villarias, Mark Yee and Jhonard Clarito as the Skippers hope to start their first-ever finals appearance on a winning note.

But Sumisip-St. Clare is relishing on the underdog status after being surviving Centro Escolar University in a semifinal series that went the full three games.

Saints coach Stevenson Tiu will lean on Mohammad Pare, Joshua Fontanilla, Hesed Gabo, Chris Dumapig and Jesse Collado in their quest to produce an upset win over the Skippers.

Sumisip-St. Clare enter the series with a chip on their shoulders, having endured heartbreaks in the last few conferences.

Tiu is back in the finals for a third time in his D-League coaching career after losing twice while calling the shots for Che’Lu Bar & Grill.

Pare and Fontanilla were among the St. Clare players who absorbed a semifinal loss to CEU in the semis of the previous conference.

Tags: 2019 PBA D-League Foundation Cup , BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare , Chris Dumapig , Eloy Poligrates , Hesed Gabo , Jesse Collado , Jhonard Clarito , John Villarias , Joshua Fontanilla , Marinerong Pilipino , Mark Yee , Mohammad Pare , PBA D-League Foundation Cup , PBA D-League Foundation Cup Finals , Stevenson Tiu , Yong Garcia