Gems try to boost Final 4 bid vs Erasers today

CEBUANA Lhuillier tries to boost its bid for the last outright semifinal brth when it faces Erase Plantcenta today in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the Treston Gym in Taguig.

The Gems, tied for second with Big Chill at 6-2 behind unbeaten NLEX, are heavily favored against the Erasers in the 4 p.m. match.

Cafe France guns for a quarterfinal berth earlier against Blackwater at 2 p.m.

Only the top two teams at the end of the eliminations will earn outright entry to the semifinals, while the next four slug it out in the quarterfinals.

Defending champion NLEX, still unbeaten in eight games, already claimed the first semifinal slot, leaving the second-running Gems and Big Chill to fight for the last incentive.

If the Gems and the Super Chargers remain tied at the end of the eliminations, Big Chill will claim the No. 2 spot due to the winner-over-the-other rule.

Big Chill downed Cebuana Lhuillier, 68-52, in their lone elimination encounter.

“Our destiny is not in our hands, but we still have to win to have shot,” Acot said of his Gems, who are coming off a 90-64 drubbing of Junior Powerade.

But their last outing didn’t exactly please Acot as the Gems got off to a sluggish start before last conference’s MVP Vic Manuel helped them regain their bearing.

Cafe France, meanwhile, hopes to break out of a three-way tie at 3-5 with Erase Plantcenta and Boracay Rum.

A victory will assure the Bakers a quarterfinal slot even if they end up tied with other squads due to a superior quotient.