GlobalPort guard Stanley Pringle soars for the layup. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
What holiday break? Globalport doesn’t have any plans of celebrating just yet, not until it takes care of Barako Bull when the two teams clash on Christmas Day at the start of the 2016 Philippine Cup quarterfinals on Friday.
And head coach Pido Jarencio said his team is more than prepared for the Christmas showdown against the seventh-seeded Energy at Mall of Asia Arena.
“We’re ready for the playoffs,” Jarencio said. “We’ve prepared the team offensively and defensively.”
Globalport, as the fifth seed in the PBA Philippine Cup, hold a twice-to-beat advantage over Barako Bull in the first phase of the quarterfinals.
After beating the Energy, the Batang Pier would then face the winner between Star-Barangay Ginebra matchup in the second phase of the quarterfinals.
But Jarencio knows facing Barako Bull, a team with a slew of veteran guards that will give GlobalPort’s backcourt of Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle different looks defensively, won’t be easy despite beating the Energy in the elimination round.
Even though they finished the eliminations strong with a 7-4 record, Jarencio hopes the Batang Pier can claw out of the quarterfinals and enter the semifinals, which is something the team still hasn’t been able to do.
“I hope we break into the semifinals,” Jarencio said. “The team has a goal this conference and let’s see if we have positive results.”