PBA: Top sides tackle tough stretch

NorthPort Batang Pier’s Arvin Tolentino explodes for 36 points in win over Hong Kong Eastern in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. –PBA IMAGES

Big tests await three teams sitting inside the top four of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup eliminations with games against the traditional heavyweights to determine whether they are real contenders or pretenders.

Pacesetter NorthPort, second-running Rain or Shine and streaking Converge are scheduled to face fancied teams of San Miguel Corp. and the MVP Group from the resumption of the midseason tournament on Sunday until the end of classification on Jan. 31.

The three teams will also meet each during the same stretch, making their bids to secure early playoff spots and the twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals with a top four finish doubly important.

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NorthPort is ahead, having won six of its first seven games, followed by Rain or Shine at 4-1 while Converge shares third and fourth with guest team Hong Kong Eastern at 6-2.

Arvin Tolentino, Joshua Munzon and NorthPort play Barangay Ginebra (Jan. 8), Meralco (Jan. 14), Rain or Shine (Jan. 16) and San Miguel Beer (Jan. 21) in succession, and getting a good batting average in this tough slate will raise the traditionally midtable, lower-tier side’s confidence up a notch.

“It will be a big test,” said Munzon. “But at the end of the day, we have to take it one game at a time.”

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Rain or Shine continues its string of games against lightweight opponents, which started with a pre-Christmas Day escape act against Terrafirma, by taking on Blackwater on Jan. 8 and Phoenix on Jan. 11.

Then it will be the marquee matchups with Converge (Jan. 14), NorthPort (Jan. 16), Ginebra (Jan. 22) before wrapping things up against NLEX (Jan. 25) and TNT (Jan. 31).

Converge will put its four-game winning streak on the line against TNT on Jan. 11, followed by that duel with Rain or Shine.