GIANT teams San Miguel and Magnolia clash in an all-important game that will have a big say in their bids for the No. 2 seed and a twice to beat advantage in the PBA Philippine Cup playoffs.
The sister teams battle each other at 4:35 p.m. on Sunday in the featured match of a triple-header at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym.
The Hotshots and Beermen are one game apart, with Magnolia carrying a 7-3 win-loss record followed by San Miguel at 6-3.
Both are coming off contrasting wins. The Hotshots leaned on the game-winning basket of Calvin Abueva to nip NorthPort in a wild ending, 90-89, while the Beermen had too much firepower in a 110-80 drubbing of Phoenix despite missing the scoring of guard Terrence Romeo.
Winner of the SMB-Magnolia encounter gets to boost its shot at the No. 2 spot currently held by Meralco (7-2).
Leo Austria and the Beermen eye their seventh win.
“Kung papalarin kami, you’ll never know what will happen, baka magkaroon kami ng chance (for a twice-to-beat),” said coach Leo Austria, whose Beermen face the Alaska Aces next after the Hotshots.
“It will depend on the outcome of the other games din, e. Hindi naman ako nananalangin na matalo ang ibang teams. Iniisip na lang namin, we have to do our best to get into the right place.”
Two teams still fighting for their life, NorthPort and Alaska, tackle separate opponents in the race for the three remaining playoffs tickets.
The Batang Pier (4-5) hope to end a two-game slide as they take on Rain or Shine (6-4) in the 2 p.m. opener, while the Aces (3-5) play their third straight game at 7 p.m. opposite Terrafirma (3-7).
Idle teams NLEX (5-5) and defending champion Barangay Ginebra (4-6) are the two other teams still in contention for the quarterfinals.
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