INQUIRER Sports

Games Sunday:

Araneta Coliseum

4 p.m.- Rain or Shine vs. Purefoods

6:30 p.m.- Talk N Text vs. Ginebra

Given up for dead after falling to what seemed like an insurmountable 0-2 series deficits, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and the Barangay Ginbera Gin Kings try to complete remarkable comebacks in the pair of do-or-die games which unfurl today in the best-of-five quarterfinal round of the 35th PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Rain or Shine and the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants take the floor first at 4 p.m. before Ginebra and the Talk N Text Tropang Texters clash in their own tension and drama-filled showdown at 6:30 p.m.

But whether Ginebra will have an opponent tonight remains unknown as of this writing. The top honchos of Talk N Text were set to hold a meeting to decide if they would show up in today's all-important game.

The Texters handily gave Ginebra a series-tying victory last Friday when they walked out in the final one-minute of the first quarter of Game Four. The Kings were up, 27-20, when the Texters left the court.

A flagrant foul-penalty two called against Ranidel de Ocampo triggered the walkout.

Talk N Text has complained of bad officiating, saying that the referees have been calling more fouls against them than Ginebra.

League commissioner Sonny Barrios has announced that the flagrant foul-penalty two against De Ocampo was upheld which means the 6-foot-5 cager will be suspended for today's game.

A P20,000 fine was also slapped on De Ocampo, who tried to stop a driving Ronald Tubid when he was whistled for the infraction.

The commissioner's office has yet to decide what sanctions or penalties to slap on Talk N Text for the walkout.

Meanwhile, the Painters look to survive their fifth do-or-die game in two weeks.

Rain or Shine won Game 3, 95-92 and came up with another three-point win in Game 4, 103-100, on a late three-pointer by former Purefoods stalwart Eddie Laure.

Despite losing the 2-0 edge, Purefoods team manager Alvin Patrimonio remains optimistic that the Giants can pull trough ?because the boys are hungry to be in the semis.?

?The team is still confident that we can win the series. We have just to adjust on our defense especially our one-on-one defense because of the quick lineup that Rain or Shine has,? Patrimonio told during a press conference of a goodwill match in which the four-time MVP winner was set to play in.

The winner in the Ginebra-Talk N Text battle will next play the Alaska Aces, while the victor in the Rain or Shine-Purefoods duel will meet the San Miguel Beermen in a best-of-seven Final Four round.