Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Barangay Ginebra sets out as the heavy favorite to prevail and formalize its spot in the quarterfinals of the Smart Bro-PBA Philippine Cup when the Gin Kings battle the Blackwater Elite today at Angeles University Foundation gym in Angeles City.
Though coming off a loss, the taller Gin Kings have all the advantage in manpower they need against the Elite in the 5 p.m. contest making up the league’s Petron Saturday Special offering this week.
Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar will lead coach Tim Cone’s charges as Ginebra also shoots to enhance its position in the playoffs.
The Kings are looking at a place in the upper half of the standings to avoid being at a disadvantage in the two-phase quarterfinals, while the Elite are simply gunning to stay alive and finally make it past the elimination round.
Idle defending champion San Miguel Beer and Alaska are tied on top with 7-1 slates, with the only other squad in the running for a top two finish, Rain or Shine, at 6-1.
The top two teams after the elimination round will be seeded into the Final Four, while those from Nos. 3 to 6 will take twice-to-beat privileges against lower-ranked foes in the first phase of the quarterfinals.
A win would put Ginebra ahead of Barako Bull and the NLEX Road Warriors, who are also toting 4-4 slates.
Star and Mahindra, meanwhile, are just half a game up on 11th-placed Blackwater, which nurses a 1-6 slate.
Meralco was the first team to reach the cliff’s edge after taking an 86-88 loss to Alaska on Thursday night. The Bolts slipped to 1-8 going into their final two games.
Only two teams will get the boot, with those from Nos. 7-10 drawing Nos. 6, 5, 4 and 3, respectively, and needing to beat them two straight times to make it to the next quarterfinals phase.
The four survivors will clash in a best-of-three format with the winners advancing to the semifinals.