Games on Tuesday
(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
5:15 p.m. – Macau vs Blackwater
7:30 p.m. – Meralco vs San Miguel
WITH AVAILABLE tickets to the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals now down to five, the onus is on the teams outside the three early qualifiers to make their big moves.
Sitting at fourth, Meralco looks to take a step closer by jacking up its record to 6-2 on Tuesday against a San Miguel Beermen squad (4-5) bent on keeping its place inside the Magic 8.
After last week’s action, pacesetting Rain or Shine (8-1), second-running NLEX (7-2) and No. 3 Ginebra (7-2) have locked up their seats in the Last 8.
The marquee encounter set at 7:30 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium is vital as well to the Bolts’ bid for the Top 4 that comes with a coveted twice-to-beat advantage against lower-ranked rivals.
A loss will drop Meralco to fifth at 5-3, relinquishing No. 4 to TNT (6-3).
For the Beermen, it’s hugely important to grab solo seventh for now and with a 5-5 slate, get more breathing space against No. 8 Magnolia (4-5) and chasers Converge (4-6), Terrafirma (3-6), Titan (2-7), Blackwater (2-7) and even Macau (1-8).
The Bossing can get their third W if they take care of business against the cellar-dwelling Black Knights in the 5:15 p.m. curtain-raiser.
Reigning Philippine Cup Champion SMB stumbled in its last game, losing what was supposed to be a routine win against Blackwater, 120-126.
That put the Beermen in a precarious situation where they would need to hurdle the Bolts on Tuesday, then the Dyip and Fuel Masters to ensure a hassle-free advance to the quarters or even vie for a potential playoffs bonus.
“We’re still in contention (but) we need to beat these three teams,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria, whose squad aims to overcome a listless start brought about by import problems prior to Bennie Boatwright’s recent PBA return.
Like San Miguel, Meralco absorbed a heartbreaker in its last outing, yielding a 101-104 overtime defeat to NLEX on a buzzer-beating trey by Ljay Gonzales, and goes into Tuesday’s gig with added determination to bounce back.
Notes: Barangay Ginebra won’t be rushing Japeth Aguilar’s return after sustaining “pneumomediastinum” or air in the chest from a bad fall in their 115-108 win over Blackwater last April 24. Coach Tim Cone said Mr. Aguilar is expected to be released from the hospital in the next day or two but said there’s no timetable for his comeback. “He’s out of danger and he’s not serious apparently,” said Mr. Cone. “(But) I think he’s doubtful for these coming games when we play on Friday and Sunday,” he said, referring to Ginebra’s big duels against Meralco and Rain or Shine, respectively. “We don’t have a timeframe in terms of when he’ll be back into the lineup and ready to play. Hopefully, we’ll put a game plan together in terms of getting him back in the lineup.” — Olmin Leyba
