San Miguel Beermen import Bennie Boatwright.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
San Miguel Beer and Meralco face lowly teams to close out their elimination round campaigns in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup, their sights set on winning despite different circumstances concerning their places in the playoffs.
Still with control of their destiny in terms of gaining a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, the Beermen look to enter the playoffs on a bright note with an expected win against the Blackwater Bossing on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum as they continue to do what has gone right during a four-game winning streak.
“I felt like during our two-game losing streak that we tried to go one-on-one,” veteran guard Chris Ross said, referring to a slide that came before the current roll San Miguel enjoys, which is the reason why a top four finish is all but a mere formality, barring a stunning slip-up in the 4 p.m. contest.
“I told the guys that if we play with each other and share the ball, it makes the game so much easier for everybody else because we’re so talented. If we just play the right way, the ball will find its way,” added Ross.
Meralco, meanwhile, has very little control of its fate. Though assured of a slot in the playoffs, the Bolts were stung by a 93-83 loss to Phoenix that left their chances at a playoff bonus hanging on the results of games of other teams in the upper half of the standings.
Favored against Terrafirma in the 8 p.m. game, the Bolts will most likely end up tied with the Beermen and idle Barangay Ginebra after Friday. That would relegate them to a fifth place finish and with the task of beating No. 4 two straight times in the quarterfinals to advance.
For the Bolts to claim a twice-to-beat bonus, they would, aside from winning over the Dyip, need to see a loss from either the Beermen or the Gin Kings, who play desperate NLEX on Saturday in Legazpi City.
“It’s tough for us. But we just have to focus now on the playoffs,” lamented Trillo after the loss to Phoenix that gave the Fuel Masters the second twice-to-beat edge. Magnolia had claimed the first one last week.
NLEX’s last chance
The Road Warriors will also come to Bicolandia desperate to get a win in the race for the final spot in the tournament’s next phase. NLEX outlasted Converge, 107-103, in Wednesday’s other game, tying TNT for eighth at 4-6. TNT has Phoenix on Sunday at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Phoenix became the second team to get the twice-to-beat after improving to 8-2, an unexpected rise for a team that entered the season with a youth-laden squad and is not among the league’s traditional contenders.
But Phoenix is no longer assured of the top spot, now occupied by Magnolia after going 9-2 in the eliminations, owing to the Fuel Masters’ loss to the Hotshots in November.
Already aware of their seedings are NorthPort, which goes into the playoffs at sixth after finishing at 6-5, and Rain or Shine, to play as the seventh-ranked squad regardless if it improves its 5-5 record or do otherwise on Sunday against Converge.
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Rain or Shine has the edge over TNT and NLEX in the tiebreaker if a three-way tie occurs for seventh to ninth.