Games on Tuesday
(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
5:15 p.m. – Macau vs Blackwater
7:30 p.m. – Meralco vs San Miguel
WITH AVAILABLE tickets to the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals now right down to five, the onus is on the teams outside the three early qualifiers to make their big moves.
Sitting at fourth, Meralco looks to take a step closer by jacking up its record to 6-2 on Tuesday against a San Miguel Beermen squad (4-5) bent on keeping its place contained in the Magic 8.
After last week’s motion, pacesetting Rain or Shine (8-1), second-running NLEX (7-2) and No. 3 Ginebra (7-2) have locked up their seats within the Last 8.
The marquee encounter set at 7:30 p.m. on the Ninoy Aquino Stadium is important as well to the Bolts’ bid for the Top 4 that comes with a coveted twice-to-beat advantage against lower-ranked rivals.
A loss will drop Meralco to fifth at 5-3, relinquishing No. 4 to TNT (6-3).
For the Beermen, it’s hugely vital to grab solo seventh for now and with a 5-5 slate, get more respiration space against No. 8 Magnolia (4-5) and chasers Converge (4-6), Terrafirma (3-6), Titan (2-7), Blackwater (2-7) and even Macau (1-8).
The Bossing can get their third W in the event that they care for business against the cellar-dwelling Black Knights within the 5:15 p.m. curtain-raiser.
Reigning Philippine Cup Champion SMB stumbled in its last game, losing what was speculated to be a routine win against Blackwater, 120-126.
That put the Beermen in a precarious situation where they would want to hurdle the Bolts on Tuesday, then the Dyip and Fuel Masters to make sure a hassle-free advance to the quarters and even vie for a possible playoffs bonus.
“We’re still in contention (but) we want to beat these three teams,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria, whose squad goals to beat a listless start caused by import problems prior to Bennie Boatwright’s recent PBA return.
Like San Miguel, Meralco absorbed a heartbreaker in its last outing, yielding a 101-104 extra time defeat to NLEX on a buzzer-beating trey by Ljay Gonzales, and goes into Tuesday’s gig with added determination to bounce back.
Notes: Barangay Ginebra won’t be rushing Japeth Aguilar’s return after sustaining “pneumomediastinum” or air within the chest from a foul fall of their 115-108 win over Blackwater last April 24. Coach Tim Cone said Mr. Aguilar is anticipated to be released from the hospital in the following day or two but said there’s no timetable for his comeback. “He’s out of danger and he’s not serious apparently,” said Mr. Cone. “(But) I feel he’s doubtful for these coming games once we play on Friday and Sunday,” he said, referring to Ginebra’s big duels against Meralco and Rain or Shine, respectively. “We don’t have a timeframe by way of when he’ll be back into the lineup and able to play. Hopefully, we’ll put a game plan together by way of getting him back within the lineup.” — Olmin Leyba