TNT and Meralco attempt to clinch a semifinal berths on Wednesday when they face separate opponents in the 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
the top-seeded Tropang Giga battle Phoenix Super LPG at 3 p.m., while No. 4 Bolts take on Magnolia Chicken Timplados at 5:45 p.m.
See TNT vs Phoenix is the playoff mismatch bred by PBA's flawed rules
The higher seed teams hold a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, and TNT and Meralco can finish off their respective opponents on Wednesday. They will meet in the best-of-five affair if they win their series.
TNT looks to repeat over Phoenix having beaten the Fuel Masters, 123-119, in the elimination round, while Meralco also won its previous match against the Hotshots, 86-84.
It wasn't until the final day of eliminations that the quarterfinal pairings were set but coach Jojo Lastimosa said TNT was all set to take on any team. The Tropang Giga wound up with a 10-1 record for the No. 1 spot.
“I was prepared for all scenarios to go down. We can’t pick who we want to play. Whoever is given to us doesn’t really matter,” said Lastimosa.
Phoenix made it to the quarterfinals as the eighth seed with a 4-7 win-loss slate.
Meralco will meet Magnolia again in what is expected to be another grindout contest between two teams that takes pride in their defense.
Meralco secured the No. 4 seed with a 7-4 win-loss slate with a better quotient against Magnolia and NLEX, which had a similar records as the Bolts.
Most of the focus of the Bolts will be on trying to contain Hotshots import Antonio Hester and Paul Lee, who two weeks ago won the PBA All-Star MVP and the Three-Point Shootout.
Meralco and Magnolia though haven’t played in quite a while with the Bolts’ previous game held on March 6, a 92-86 win over Phoenix, and the Hotshots beating Blackwater, 110-95, on March 8.
“We don’t really have any control of that. Either one of us haven’t played lately. We just have to go the flow immediately,” said Meralco coach Norman Black.
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