Meralco Bolts’ Bong Quinto in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Meralco will no longer have the luxury to plot with clarity in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup and head coach Luigi Trillo knows that the Bolts have no one else to blame but themselves.
“At this point, it is what it is. We were [supposed] to be tied for second place, but we have to move on. It was in our hands against Phoenix (last Jan. 10) but we didn’t win that game,” he said on the heels of a 109-102 triumph over Terrafirma on Friday night.
“It’s just tough to realize that we still have to wait for Ginebra and whatever happens there,” he went on. “[If] Ginebra wins, we’re fifth.”
That’s exactly what happened.
The Gin Kings took to the road and defeated the NLEX Road Warriors, 103-99, in Legazpi City, taking the last twice-to-beat incentive and leaving Trillo to rue the existing league rule on playoff bonuses and ties.
The Bolts, who despite winning eight of its 11 games in the tournament, will settle for fifth place and will need to win twice over their quarterfinal opponent to advance to the semifinals. One loss eliminates Meralco.
Superior quotient
Meralco slipped to No. 5 as the crowd darlings hold superior quotient owing to their 110-96 victory against the Bolts last Dec. 22.
“That being said, I’d like to see, moving forward, that the No. 4 and No. 5 spots [play a] knockout game since the upper teams worked hard to be [where they are],” he said.
Before the three-conference era, the PBA used to send the top two finishers of the elimination round to the semifinals. Three teams advanced to the quarterfinals, while four more battled for a spot in the wildcard round to determine the fourth club to join the knockout phase. “We have our hands full, whether it be Phoenix or Ginebra,” he said of Meralco’s quarterfinal matchup.
“Phoenix has been playing really well, they’re a team that can switch with multiple strong guys there. We look at Ginebra and the depth of that team: They have LA (Tenorio) and Japeth (Aguilar) who used to start, and now they’re coming off the bench, so aside from Scottie (Thompson), they’re loaded,” he added.
“We just have to go back to the drawing board, we’ll have a day or two, and we’ll be ready for whoever.”