INQUIRER Sports

Games Sunday:

Araneta Coliseum

4 p.m.- Derby Ace vs. Rain or Shine

5:30 p.m- Barangay Ginebra vs. Alaska

The drama in the quarterfinal round of the 35th PBA Fiesta Cup reaches its climax as two knockout games decide the fate of the four quarterfinalists.

Boosted by the arrival of a more dependable import, the Derby Ace Llamados battle the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, while the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, oozing with confidence after surviving two straight sudden-death games, clash with the Alaska Aces in the main game.

Today?s no tomorrow games are expected to draw a huge crowd at the Araneta Coliseum with the four protagonists gunning for a seat in the semis.

The winner in the Derby Ace-Rain or Shine tiff will next meet the San Miguel Beermen in a best-of-seven affair, while the victor in the Ginebra-Alaska scuffle will earn the right to play the might Talk N Text Tropang Texters.

The two series both reached the distance when Derby Ace and Ginebra clobbered their respective foes last Friday

Tony Washam, whose father Tony Sr. used to play as a Gordon Gin import in 1984, gave Derby Ace a needed shot in the arm, debuting with 29 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Llamados to a 92-78 triumph.

?It?s a huge blessing that the import we got was a high-level player in Europe,? Llamados head coach Ryan Gregorio told pba.ph.

Derby Ace is hoping that history will repeat itself as it looks to duplicate its feat in the Philippine Cup where it also eliminated Rain or Shine in the quarterfinal round via a 3-2 decision.

?Sunday (today) is going to be a lot tougher,? said Gregorio. ?The experience might play a big role right now. This is something new to them. Obviously, there will be adjustments. But for us, we know what to do. We?ve been here, done that.?

Odds are stacked against the Elasto Painters as they may play without ace center JayR Reyes, who was ejected in the final 5:30 of Game 4 after commiting a flagrant foul-penalty two on Rafi Reavis.

?He must be suspended,? said Gregorio. ?There?s no place like that in this league. You can play tough, but you never whack a player in the head.?