THE four teams battling it out for playoffs berths in the lower half of the PBA Philippine Cup standings face each other on Wednesday as Season 50 of the league returns to Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Here’s a look on what to expect in the twin bill.
MERALCO VS. TERRAFIRMA
When: Dec. 10, 5:15 p.m
Where: Ynares Center, Antipolo
After more than a month, the Bolts return to the court and take on the skidding Dyip in a game that has a lot of bearing on the quarterfinals bid of both teams.
Meralco currently occupies seventh spot in a tie with Barangay Ginebra at 3-4, while Terrafirma is at the bottom of the standings along with Blackwater at 1-7, but remains in the hunt for a playoffs berth.
Bolts hoping for no rust
Meralco last played in the season-opening conference on Oct. 29 yet in a heartbreaker against TNT, 100-98.
That meant the team hasn't played in the league for the last 41 days.
While the Bolts won three of four games in the East Asia Super League during that stretch, it’s still different when seeing action in the All-Filipino conference where teams play at least once or twice a week.
“Iba pa rin yung naglalaro kayo at least once a week and then practicing in between,” said coach Luigi Trillo. “And sa EASL, we have to play with imports.”
“Sana we’re not going to be rusty.”
Dyip on a six-game skid
In contrast, Terrafirma already played a game since the tournament resumed following the FIBA window, absorbing a sorry 111-108 loss to Titan Ultra after leading the game for most of the way.
The setback pushed the Dyip further at the bottom of the standings at 1-7 as they suffered their sixth straight loss.
The team will try to stop the bleeding against Meralco if it is to remain in the running for a quarterfinals berth.
BARANGAY GINEBRA vs. BLACKWATER
When: Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ynares Center, Antipolo
The Kings’ hard climb to the top continues and will now take on a Blackwater side that won’t have its two key players around.
Ginebra won its last outing against Phoenix, 102-93, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion just before the league went on a three-game day break for the FIBA window.
The Bossing on the other hand, lost to the Fuel Masters last Sunday, 106-98, and stretched the tournament’s longest losing streak to seven games.
Kings return from Gilas stint
The Ginebra core of coach Tim Cone and players Scottie Thompson, RJ Abarrientos, and Japeth Aguilar are all coming off a successful campaign with Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers where the team completed a two-game sweep of Guam in the opening window.
The Kings hope to carry over the momentum gained from the FIBA stint and make one final push to their quarterfinals bid.
After Blackwater, Ginebra will only have a day’s rest and then goes up against Terrafirma on Friday, before flying out of the country and get ready for its showdown with league leader Rain or Shine in Bahrain.
No Panopio, Tratter for Blackwater
The Bossing will play the Kings without key cogs Abu Tratter and rookie guard Dalph Panopio, who are set to leave for Bangkok on Thursday for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games as part of the Gilas Pilipinas team out to defend the men’s basketball gold.
Panopio, the No. 3 overall pick in the last rookie draft, is averaging 10.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, while Tratter normed 9.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
In the absence of the two, coach Jeff Cariaso needs significant contributions from his bench if the Blackwater is to stay in the hunt for a berth in the quarterfinals.
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