DEFENDING champion Cafe France renews its rivalry with Phoenix when the two powerhouse squads slug it out again today in the 2016 PBA D-League Foundation Cup at JCSGO Gym in Quezon City.
The Bakers can seal a twice to beat advantage in the semifinals with a victory in the 4 p.m. clash with the Accelerators.
Tanduay hopes to improve its Final Four position as it battles also-ran AMA Online Education at 2 p.m.
With former Far Eastern U standout Carl Bryan Cruz knocking in clutch baskets in overtime, Cafe France bested Phoenix, 96-93, last July 21.
But one thing going for the Accelerators will be the presence of star forward Mac Belo, who sat out the first round meeting with the Bakers.
With an 8-3 record, the Accelerators can no longer afford to drop another game and coach Eric Gonzales is treating the game like a do-or-die encounter.
“We’re facing a championship team,” he said after dominating Blustar Detergent, 108-83, last Tuesday. “We have to play it like a championship game.”
“We have to play with energy.”
Although they are already assured of a semifinal slot, Bakers coach Egay Macaraya isn’t looking past the matchup with the Accelerators.
“We have to win versus Phoenix before anything else,” said Macaraya, whose team is coming off an 86-70 win over AMA Thursday.
A win by Phoenix will assure Racal of the top spot, while a Cafe France victory secures a twice-to-beat incentive for the Tile Masters, snuffing out any chance for a triple-tie for the No. 1 seed.