Kings try to keep top 2 in sight

Biñan, Laguna—Barangay Ginebra tries to stay in the frenzied race for a top two berth in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup when, five days removed from bringing down the most feared side of all, the Gin Kings slug it out with sputtering Blackwater at Alonte Sports Center here.

Taking the momentum of a 107-99 decision of San Miguel Beer last Sunday, the Gin Kings are the solid picks in their 7 p.m. clash with the Elite as they try to keep two other teams—Meralco and TNT KaTropa—out of the twice-to-beat race.

As things stand, Star put a hand on a top two spot Wednesday night after a 108-90 destruction of Meralco, and the only teams that can topple the Hotshots out of that are sister teams San Miguel and Ginebra, which both beat Star in the eliminations.

“We have a good shot at it,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone said after that win over the Beermen, referring to a top two finish that seemed out of the picture just a few days back, after an unexpected loss to Rain or Shine.

“We bounced back from that,” he said. “We felt that it was a very winnable game. But the important thing is that we persevered this time [against San Miguel]. We were pretty motivated [to bounce back from that].”

Justin Brownlee will be ranged against beefy and agile Greg Smith, but the Kings are listed as the favorites because of a local roster that has been performing so well of late.

Blackwater, which needs to win this one to stay in the hunt, will continue to miss the services of sophomore Art dela Cruz and rookie Mac Belo.

Victories by the Beermen and Gin Kings in their last three games and a win by Star over Alaska next week would put the three teams under the San Miguel umbrella in a logjam at the top, necessitating the quotient system, which the Hotshots would lose.

Losses in one game for all three SMC teams would, incidentally, allow the Bolts and the Texters back in the hunt for a top two finish, granting that Meralco and TNT hurdle their respective final assignments.

And while the race for top honors has been a frenetic one, staying out of the dreaded seventh and eighth spots has also been heated, with defending champion Rain or Shine clashing with GlobalPort in the 4:15 p.m. contest and seeking a win that would seal a middle-of-the-pack finish.

Alaska, which is on a five-game losing streak, is occupying seventh spot right now, but the Aces have two chances to better their position. They could also help determine the top-two chase as they end their elimination round schedule with matches against the Beermen and the Hotshots this Saturday and Wednesday, respectively.

Phoenix Petroleum holds the eighth spot, with the Fuel Masters closing out against rejuvenated NLEX on Saturday.