MERALCO and TNT want to take the short route to the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals but standing in their way are a couple of equally determined teams.
The Bolts and Tropang Giga state their win-once advantage when they tangle with NLEX and Ginebra, respectively, today as the quarterfinals resume at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
TNT and Meralco earned the reward after finishing 1-2 in the eliminations and will go into today’s battle determined to impose their will but know it won’t be easy.
“We’re playing the defending champs,” noted Tropa coach Chot Reyes. “It will take our best for us to have a chance.”
Ginebra showed it has no plans of relinquishing the crown it fought so hard for in last year’s bubble in Angeles City, coming from behind to beat Phoenix Super LPG 95-85 last Saturday in their one-game playoff for the last slot in the quarterfinals.
“You have a choice: Either you keep going or you back off. Our guys decided to keep going and hopefully we’re gonna take that attitude into our next game against TNT,” Kings coach Tim Cone said after the game.
Seeing action in the second of what could be three knockout games is something Cone would not have wanted but must now face that head on without the injured Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson still questionable due to the league’s health and safety protocols.
“We’re in a tough position. That’s a tough road,” admitted Cone. “But we know it and I think we’re prepared mentally. We’re gonna go out there and defend and see what we can do.”
Meralco also wants to make quick work of NLEX, but that should be easier said than done, according to Bolts coach Norman Black.
“We know that’s gonna be tough, it’s not gonna be easy,” said Black.
Meralco ended the eliminations with a four-game winning streak, its third a 104-101 victory over NLEX Wednesday last week, enough to secure for the Bolts the No. 2 ranking behind TNT.
“We wanted to go into the playoffs with some momentum. We did not want to go into the playoffs with a loss,” was how Black put it when his team went all out in beating Ginebra 79-66 last Thursday to end their eliminations campaign.
That loss helped relegate NLEX to seventh and the must-win handicap, which the Road Warriors are now determined to overcome and force a deciding match on Friday.
But Yeng Guiao and his charges must find ways to offset Meralco’s more balanced scoring, which has Anjo Caram, Allein Maliksi and Mac Belo taking turns leading the Bolts’ offense in crucial stretches.
And then there are the likes of Bong Quinto, Alvin Pasaol, Chris Newsome and Reynel Hugnatan, the latter re-joining the team after attending the wake of his mother in Bacolod.
Such balance is one thing that pleases Black with his team. “A lot of guys have been stepping up. It’s just the next man up, as far as we’re concerned,” he noted.
“We don’t know who the star of the game might be, but everybody supports everybody and whoever has a good night leads us.”
Defense has never really been a problem for Meralco as it is once again among the top defensive teams in the tournament, allowing opponents an average of only 84.3 points per game.
That ability to make stops would be severely tested by an NLEX side ranked third in offense with 93.6 points an outing.
In their lone elimination round meeting the Road Warriors fought back from 20 points down to make it a tight endgame, proof of how the latter can suddenly light up the scoreboard.
