Wales can wait awhile as Azkals goalie seeks semis

Game Today (Cuneta Astrodome) 6:30 p.m. – Meralco vs Alaska (Alaska leads series 2-1)

ANTIPOLO CITY – Romeo Travis scored a career-high 50 points despite being hobbled with an injured hamstring as Magnolia ousted defending champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 112-108, in a pulsating affair witnessed by a roar- ing crowd last night to advance to the PBA Governors’ Cup here.

Travis’ three-point play off a Japeth Aguilar foul with 44.1 seconds left put the Hotshots ahead 108-106 after things seemed bleak when the Kings took advantage of a non-goaltending call on Justin Brownlee to take a 106-101 lead at the Ynares Center in this city.

His inspired play came after doubts of whether he’ll play the fourth game of the best-of-five series due to the injury he suffered at halftime of Magnolia’s 107-103 loss two nights earlier at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

But the former Best Import winner sucked in the pain to carry the Hotshots on his back and put them in the finals for the second time in three conferences while ending Ginebra’s two-year reign as champion of the season-ending conference.

“Grabe yung puso ng import namin, wala akong masabi,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero, who revealed that Travis was only cleared hours before tipoff while management had prepared to tap former La Salle star Ben Mbala as a potential backup import.

Paul Lee, maligned for his two miscues in Game 3, sealed the deal for the Hotshots by knocking down two pressure-packed free throws with 14 seconds left, slaying the ghost of last year’s collapse against the Kings in the Philippine Cup semifinals.

Game Today (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) 8 p.m. – Timor-Leste vs Philippines

Neil Etheridge will look to put the Philippine Azkals in good position to qualify for the semifinals when they go for a second straight win against TimorLeste tonight in the AFF Suzuki Cup at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The veteran goalkeeper is expected to man the sticks for the Azkals in the 8 p.m. match before heading back to Wales to resume his historic English Premier League stint with Cardiff City.

Etheridge, 28, was allowed to represent the country as the first two matches of the group stage are scheduled under the FIFA international window. Clubs are mandated to release their players for national team duties during the said window.

But before taking a lengthy flight back to Cardiff, Etheridge is hoping to play a major role in the Azkals’ bid to secure a second straight win in Group B.

The Hotshots’ victory appeared to be unlikely when referees missed a goaltending call on Brownlee, who blocked off the glass Lee’s layup try that would have tied the game at 103-all.

Incensed over the call, Victolero stormed the court and was slapped a technical with 2:17 left, with Tenorio making it 104-101 Ginebra. Brownlee later made two charities to extend the Kings’ advantage to five, over a minute to spare.

The Azkals opened their campaign last Tuesday with a breakthrough 1-0 victory over Singapore at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City courtesy of Patrick Reichelt’s goal in the 78th minute.

Coach Sven-Goran Erikkson is hoping for a better showing for the Azkals despite being the odds-on favorite against a Timor-Leste side that lost its first two matches.

In the Suzuki Cup group stage for the first time ever, Timor-Leste lost 7-0 to defending champion Thailand in the opener before falling 3-1 to Indonesia.

Timor-Leste is playing its home match in the Malaysian capital after Suzuki Cup organizers declared its home pitch in Dili as not “match ready,” owing to incomplete floodlighting.

Phil Younghusband is expected to lead the Azkals into battle as they take a crack at a win before returning home for Wednesday’s marquee match with Thailand in Panaad.