Surging Bolts, Gin Kings in crucial match

MERALCO tries to top an elimination round for the first time in franchise history today when it locks horns with Barangay Ginebra, even as Star and Mahindra dispute the last playoff slot in the Oppo-PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Already assured of a twice-to-beat privilege, the Bolts take the Big Dome floor at 7 p.m. against a Ginebra side that needs to win this one to assure itself of a fair chance in the first round of the playoffs.

That game will happen after the Hotshots, without injured two-time MVP James Yap, and the Enforcers dispute what could be the No. 8 spot in the 4:15 p.m. game.

“We would want to win that game,” Meralco coach Norman Black said last week after winning over Alaska that sealed at least a No. 2 finish for the Bolts. “We want to have some sort of momentum going into the playoffs.”

The game is equally important for the Gin Kings, who could make a case for the No. 2 spot with a victory. A win by the defending champion Tropang TNT over San Miguel Beer on Friday would forge a big logjam for second spot.

Alaska is still also in it and could finish the eliminations at 7-4 like idle Rain or Shine, Ginebra, San Miguel and Tropang TNT if the Aces turn back NLEX, also on Friday.

That would necessitate the application of the quotient system where Ginebra owns a 26-point win over the Beermen. Should that happen, the Road Warriors will automatically be No. 7 and will be ranged against No. 2, needing to beat the higher-ranked team twice.

Also in that scenario, Meralco will qualify as the top seed and advance opposite the winner of the Star-Mahindra match.

A San Miguel victory over the Texters and a Ginebra win over the Bolts, on the other hand, would give the Beermen top ranking and would push Meralco to No. 2.