Bolts take on Aces, shoot for No. 2 at worst

MERALCO, in the lead since the start of the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup, shoots for a twice-to-beat privilege against an Alaska crew that has been chasing after the Bolts as the elimination round enters its homestretch today at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Tip-off is at 7 p.m. with the Bolts set to finish No. 2 at worst with a win over the Aces.

Phoenix Petroleum tries to cling on to its wafer-thin playoff hopes when it battles GlobalPort in the 4:15 p.m. curtain raiser.

The Bolts opened the tournament with five straight wins and have gone 2-2 in their last four games. They will be up against an Alaska side that has the chance to finally catch up with them and muddle up the race for a top-two berth with a win.

As things stand, an Alaska win would give the Aces a tie for the lead and the inside track to No. 2 in the event that both the Aces and the Bolts end up tied at the end of the round because of the winner-over-the other rule.

It would also open things up for San Miguel Beer, which will come into the final days of the eliminations tied with the Aces and with two games remaining, against the Fuel Masters and defending champion Tropang TNT.

Losing to the Aces and then to Barangay Ginebra on Wednesday would make the Bolts close out with a 7-4 slate, which San Miguel and Alaska could easily tie and knock Meralco down to No. 3, depending on its final ranking.

Alaska’s chances of bagging a top two slot actually rest heavily on winning over the Bolts and NLEX next Friday.

In that case, even if the Aces wind up tied with the Beermen for No. 1, they would have knocked the Bolts out of the picture.