Survival, build-up for last 8

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MAGNOLIA will show up tonight on survival mode anew while TNT has the luxury to gauge its readiness for the playoffs.

What team will succeed in their targets will be known when the Tropang Giga and the Hotshots square off against separate foes in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

TNT, already assured of a top-two finish and a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, faces Rain or Shine in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m.

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Magnolia clashes with Meralco in the curtain-raiser at 5 o’clock.

“We need to prepare well for our last game, which is Meralco. We know na it’s going to be a war, a battle of defense,” Hotshots coach Chito Victolero said.

“It’s going to be a defensive battle for us and we will try to see kung ano puwede naming ibato sa team na iyon,” he added.

Victolero’s troops will go into the battle armed with a 107-78 shellacking of foreign guest team Eastern last Sunday that improved their card to 5-6.

A win by the Hotshots will forge a tie with NLEX for the eighth and last spot. In such a scenario, the two will tangle in a knockout tiff to determine the eighth quarterfinalist.

The deadlock could even be a three-way one should 6-5 Rain or Shine fall to TNT.

With the application of the tiebreaking pro league quotient, the Road Warriors would claim seventh with the Hotshots and Elasto Painters battling in a KO match.

Should Rain or Shine win, would be Magnolia and NLEX playing off for the last ticket.

The likes of import Ricardo Ratliffe, Jerom Lastimosa, Ian Sangalang, Calvin Abueva, Mark Barroca, and Zavier Lucero will be counted upon by the Hotshots.

“Magnolia is a team na parang alam mo na when their backs are against the wall, they’re hard to play,” Bolts tactician Luigi Trillo said after his team lost to Ginebra 87-91 last Wednesday.

“We’re using this game to be playoff-ready. It would be good if we could get a win entering the playoffs but it’s gonna be hard.

“Kasi nga Magnolia plays very physical. They’re coming off a good, hard-earned win over Eastern when they left no stone unturned.”

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