NORTHPORT and Phoenix Super LPG fight for survival against separate teams in the final day of the eliminations of the PBA 46th Season Governors’ Cup.
The Batang Pier are the hottest team in the league, having won five straight games after starting with a 0-5 win-loss record. The Fuel Masters also struggled at one point during the conference, losing three straight games to enter the final game of the elimination round with a similar 5-5 card.
Both teams, however, can salvage their season with a victory on Friday. Phoenix Super LPG takes the first crack in a game against Meralco at 3 p.m., while NorthPort faces TNT at 6 p.m.
Here are the possible scenarios:
One of the teams lose
A loss by either NorthPort or Phoenix on Friday will put an end to its season. The loser will go down to solo ninth with a 5-6 win-loss card, and therefore out of the running for a place in the eight-team quarterfinal cast.
Seedings will now be determined based on the quotient, which will be dependent on the winning margin of teams that are involved in the tie. Incidentally, whichever wins between TNT and Meralco will go up to 7-4 and get the twice-to-beat advantage.
Both teams lose
If both NorthPort and Phoenix lose, they will drop to a share of eighth place on 5-6 win-loss cards. They will get another shot at a quarterfinal berth as they face each other in a playoff for the No. 8 seed and the right to face top seed Magnolia in the quarterfinals.
Both teams win
Wins by NorthPort and Phoenix will not automatically give them a quarterfinal seat, as its seeding will also depend on the quotient and the winning margin in their games against TNT and Meralco.
In such a scenario, six teams will end up in a tie and the quotient system will be used to break the deadlock.
At the moment, Alaska and NorthPort are at a disadvantage with -9 point differentials, but with the Batang Pier still having one game to play. Meralco is at -6, while Phoenix is at -3 with one game left on the schedule. TNT and Ginebra have superior point differentials with +27 and 0 respectively.
By our unofficial estimates, Phoenix must win by at least three points against Meralco, and NorthPort must beat TNT by at least four points to avoid a playoff for No. 8. A winning margin closer than that could still mean playoff, most likely against Alaska for the last quarterfinal seat.