Calvin Abueva goes up for a shot. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
The PBA Philippine Cup playoff picture is now down to who between the Alaska Aces and the Star Hotshots would end up as the No. 2 seed with the twice-to-beat quarterfinal bonus—and which teams will be driven to the edge of the cliff.
Star battles also-ran Mahindra in the 4:15 p.m. game, and even if the Hotshots win, the Aces can end up second with a win over Rain or Shine in their 7 p.m. clash Wednesday at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay by virtue of the winner-over-the-other rule.
After the frenzied battles in the last week, the Aces and the Hotshots, both with 6-4 records, would wind up second or third, at worst, but what makes the final playdate interesting is which teams would eventually wind up Nos. 7 and 8 and with the gargantuan task of beating a top-two team two straight times.
“We will go all out [for a win],” said Star coach Chito Victolero, whose first coaching stint came with KIA, now Mahindra.
“We prepared hard for this game because we want to end with a win and get the momentum and winning habit going to the playoffs, plus we have a chance to be No. 2.”
Painters pose problems
In the event of victories by the Hotshots and the Aces, Alaska will be No. 2 and Star the third seed, and that development would shove crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra down to No. 7 and will forge a playoff for the last slot between the Elasto Painters and idle Blackwater.
“They (Painters) pose all sorts of problems and we have great respect for them,” Alaska coach Alex Compton said. “We know that this is really a playoff game for both teams and we need to be extremely sharp.”
Rain or Shine, though, is on a three-game losing streak, with the Painters coming off what could be their worst game of the season, a lopsided loss to GlobalPort just three nights before.
Basically, GlobalPort and TNT KaTropa, which finished the eliminations with 6-5 records, are safe and will be landing in best-of-three series, their opponents to be known only after the final two games Wednesday.
Should the Hotshots and the Painters prevail, Rain or Shine would wind up No. 6 and will be in a best-of-three quarterfinal series with No. 3 Alaska. Star will take No. 2 and would need to beat the Gin Kings just once to make the Final Four.
That scenario would also boot the Elite out of the picture and make Phoenix Petroleum No. 8 and topnotcher and defending champion San Miguel Beer’s quarterfinal foe, whom the Beermen need to beat just once to make the semifinals.
Should the Floodbuster upset the Hotshots and Alaska triumphs over the Painters, Star will advance to a race-to-two series against Ginebra, which will climb up the rankings at No. 6, with Rain or Shine and Blackwater to go to that playoff to determine No. 8.
If both Mahindra and Rain or Shine win, a seven-team tie for No. 2 will ensue with the Hotshots to win the quotient system and land No. 2 with Alaska, GlobalPort, TNT KaTropa, the Painters, Ginebra and Phoenix occupying the next six places, in that order.