FROM the old ULTRA to the Smart Araneta Coliseum to the Mall of Asia Arena to the Philippine Arena, the fabled Barangay Ginebra-Magnolia rivalry is set to revisit one of the oldest playing arenas in the country.
'Manila Clasico' is bound for the Rizal Memorial Coliseum as the PBA is set to hold its quarterfinals in the 90-year old arena for the first time ever.
The Kings-Hotshots showdown is set on Saturday at 6:15 p.m. with second seeded Barangay Ginebra needing to just win over seventh seed Magnolia to advance in the semis.
READ: PVL, UAAP games draw 36,000 fans
Through the years, the Ginebra-Magnolia rivalry has played before record crowds at the ULTRA (now Philsports Arena) all the way to the Philippine Arena, where it once played before an estimated audience of 23,000-plus fans during the 2017 Christmas Day game in the world largest indoor venue located in Because, Bulacan.
In the 2015 Dec. 25 showdown between the rival teams, more than 22,000 people showed up at the Mall of Asia Arena for the holiday treat.
Built in 1934, the Rizal Memorial Coliseum can sit up from 6,000 to 8,000 people and was home to the NCAA, UAAP, the defunct MICAA, and, for a while, the PBA during its early years.
Incidentally, two PBA teams which have a long basketball history behind them, can also trace their roots in the historic playing venue located at the heart of Pablo Ocampo St (formerly Vito Cruz) over the weekend.
San Miguel and Meralco, which previously played at Rizal during their stint at MICAA (the predecessor of the PBA), are both seeing action during the back-to-back playdates to be held at the iconic playing court.
The top seeded Beermen battle eight seed Terrafirma Dyip on Saturday in the 3 p.m. curtain raiser prior to the Ginebra-Magnolia match.
Meralco meanwhile, faces NLEX in Game 2 of their best-of-three series on Sunday.
See full quarterfinal schedule:
This actually marks the second time this year the 48-year-old league will have its games played at the Rizal Coliseum.
Earlier a double header featuring Blackwater versus Terrafirma and Magnolia-Converge were held at the venue last March 16 in the first PBA games to be played at Rizal Coliseum since the 1980s.
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