PHOENIX will miss not only the services of Vic Manuel but another key player in its do-or-die game against Barangay Ginebra.
The Fuel Masters are also not going to have big man Justine Chua in the 4:35 p.m. encounter with the Kings at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym on Saturday after he was placed under the league’s health and safety protocols, SPIN.ph learned hours before the game.
The 6-foot-7 Chua joins Manuel in the sideline as the 34-year-old veteran forward earlier went down with a groin injury.
The absence of Chua and Manuel just evened things up with the defending champion Kings, who are without starters Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson.
Winner of the sudden-death between Ginebra and Phoenix will clinch the eighth and final quarterfinals berth and face top seed TnT Tropang Giga in the playoffs.
Justin Chua
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