NLEX goes for a sixth straight win when the Road Warriors face Cebuana Lhuillier on Monday in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at the JCSGO gym in Quezon City.
The Road Warriors are aiming to further solidify their hold of second place against the Gems in their 2 p.m. encounter.
NLEX booked its ninth win in 10 outings after it came back from 15 points down in the third quarter to beat Blackwater Sports, 103-86, on Thursday.
Although currently in second place, NLEX is closing in on idle Big Chill in the battle for first place as the Superchargers have a 10-1 win-loss record.
The top two teams at the end of the eliminations will automatically enter the semifinals.
Cebuana Lhuillier, with a 4-5 win-loss slate, is hard-pressed for a win as its chances of bagging a quarterfinal berth is getting slimmer.
The Gems, mathematically, still have a shot at making the next round, but must win all their remaining four games. They are coming off a 70-82 loss to Jumbo Plastic Linoleum last Thursday that hurt their playoff hopes.
In the other game, Cagayan Valley ends its month-long break when it battles National University-Banco De Oro at 12 noon.
The Rising Suns have not played for 39 days since absorbing a 75-89 loss to Big Chill last December 12.
With a 7-3 win-loss record, Cagayan Valley still has a shot at a twice-to-beat quarterfinal incentive for third and fourth placers and is currently half-a-game behind idle Hog’s Breath Café (8-3).
NU-BDO is looking to improve its 2-7 win-loss record after beating Wangs Basketball last week via a game-winning three-pointer by Denice Villamor.
Team standings: Big Chill 10-1, NLEX 8-1, Jumbo Plastic 10-3, Hog’s Breath 8-3, Cagayan Valley 7-3, Café France 7-4, Blackwater Sports 6-4, Boracay Rum 6-6, Cebuana Lhuillier 4-5, Wangs Basketball 4-9, NU-BDO 2-7, Zambales M-Builders 2-9, Derulo Accelero 1-10, Air21-Arellano 1-11.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
