YOU know it’s a crucial game when a coach points out various scenarios that may transpire after tonight’s crucial game.
“Puwedeng maging five-way tie iyan (for the top four). Parang tingin ko, Ginebra and San Miguel, the way they’re playing, may momentum na,” Meralco tactician Luigi Trillo said. “So, problema namin, kapag natalo kami sa Phoenix, kahit manalo kami sa Terrafirma (on Friday) at manalo iyong Phoenix sa TNT (at eliminations’ end on Sunday), kami ang fifth.
“Basehan ko diyan, kami ng Phoenix naglalabanan para sa top four. Quotient kasi pangatlo kami, sunod iyong Phoenix,” he added.
The Bolts press their bid for a coveted top four finish in the Last Eight when they take on the Phoenix Fuel Masters who have the same goal today in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The match is set at 4 p.m., with the combatants raring to break their tie at 7-2 for second behind Magnolia, which wound up with a 9-2 mark after the eliminations.
The defending champion Kings and the Beermen are tied with identical 7-3 cards just behind Meralco and Phoenix.
NLEX tries to stay in the hunt for inclusion in the quarterfinals race when it battles also-ran Converge in the nightcap at 8.
The Bolts claimed the scalp of the Hotshots four days back in Iloilo and will count on the likes of import Shonn Miller, Chris Newsome, Bong Quinto, Allein Maliksi, Chris Banchero, Cliff Hodge, and Aaron Black to deliver.
The Fuel Masters saw their six-game winning streak come to a screeching halt in a 96-117 loss to the Beermen last Christmas Day.
Like Trillo, Phoenix strategist Jamike Jarin wants his charges to bring their A-Game.
“Very crucial for both teams. As far as I know, whichever wins gets the twice-to-beat advantage, top four, so talagang we have to prepare and be ready,” Jarin said. “Hopefully, we’re not rusty. It would be interesting to see how we start.
“We had a break and then an active rest, pero iba pa rin kasi when you’re playing so that’s going to be one of the things we have to be aware of.”
With a 3-6 slate that included a 104-97 win over the Blackwater Bossing last Dec. 22, the Road Warriors are set to field in a new reinforcement in Deandre Williams Baldwin in lieu of Stokley Chaffee Jr.
Baldwin will try to play beautiful music with NLEX’s locals led by gunner Robert Bolick, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Sean Anthony, and rookie Jhan Nermal and Enoch Valdez.
With only a victory to show for against eight setbacks, counting an 80-88 defeat to Magnolia last Dec. 23, the FiberXers will try to salvage some measure of pride and bragging rights anchored on import Jamil Wilson, Justin Arana, Alec Stockton, and Aljun Melecio.
“We have a full line-up going to the game and that’s good kasi Meralco is well-coached, and rebounding will be a factor because of Hodge, (Raymond) Almazan, Newsome,” Jarin, who will pin his hopes on reinforcement Johnathan Williams, Javee Mocon, Sean Manganti, RJ Jazul, Tyler Tio, and Ricci Rivero, said.
“That’s one of the things we have to focus on, and we have to stop their import.”
Pro league chief Willie Marcial summoned yesterday former TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson who figured in a verbal tussle with Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao last Friday.
With only 49.0 seconds left in the Elasto Painters’ 119-112 decision over the Tropang Giga, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson went ballistic near the TNT bench to contest the technical foul called on his older brother and replacement Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson.
That didn’t sit well with Rain or Shine since he was behind the Painters’ bench, leading to that incident with Guiao.
