Crucial games today
Teams battle for ‘bonus,’ semis, and quarters berths
Games Today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:15 p.m. – Blackwater vs Barako Bull 7 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Alaska
The second outright semifinal berth, the fourth and last twice-to-beat incentive in the playoffs and the all-important 10th and final slot in the quarters will be at stake in today’s Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
So who wants to bet against any of these four teams?
No. 2 Alaska (7-1) takes on No. 3 Rain or Shine (6-2) at 7 p.m., with the winner joining defending champion San Miguel Beer (8-1) in bypassing the quarterfinals and advancing straight to the best-of-7 semis. The loser falls as a twice-to-beat team into the two-phase playoffs where it will face either the No. 9 or No. 10 ballclub and then a higher seed in a knockout.
The Beermen, who defeated the Aces in nervewracking fashion in Game 7 of last year’s Philippine Cup finals, clinched the first automatic semis berth after beating the NLEX Road Warriors in overtime, 8880, last Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome.
If Alaska prevails, then a path opens leading to a much-awaited championship rematch between the Beermen and the Aces. But if it’s ROS, coach Yeng Guiao’s bid for a first-ever Philippine Cup title stays on track.
Momentum favors the Aces, who are on a fourgame winning streak fueled by suffocating fullcourt press defense. The Elasto Painters, on the other hand, have dropped their most recent game, a 95-85 mauling at the hands of the TNT Tropang Texters and rookies Moala Tautuaa (27 points) and Troy Rosario (19) last Sunday where ROS trailed, 17-0, to start the match.
“We have to do a better job, especially against Alaska’s trapping defense,” said Guiao, looking ahead after the TNT game.
In the first game, Barako Bull hopes to tie Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on 5-4 slates and seize a Y-San Miguel X-Alaska X-Rain or Shine X-Globalport X-TNT X-Ginebra X-Barako Bull X-NLEX Star Mahindra Blackwater Meralco 8 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 6 7 7 9 share of the fourth and last twice-tobeat advantage in the playoffs when the 7th placed Energy meets barely floating, 11th-running Blackwater Elite (1-7).
Doom awaits Blackwater if it loses, with the ousted Meralco Bolts (1-9 in 12th place) holding open the exit door. A victory, however, would leave the Elite tied at 10th spot with the Mahindra Enforcers, a team Blackwater will still face on Dec. 20.