Knights, Lakers dispute last slot

With its back to the wall, Andok’s San Juan tangles with FedEx Laguna at 5 p.m. today in their knockout game for the fourth semifinals slot in the Metropolitan Basketball Association First Phase at the San Juan Gym.

From the top, the Knights tumbled all the way to No. 4 in the elimination round after they lost to the Negros Slashers, 110-93, last Sunday.

Now, they have to get past the Lakers to make the best-of-three semifinals.

The Knights swept their two games with the Lakers this year. Today, however, those past victories hardly mean anything.

San Juan actually finished tied with Negros and Cebuana Lhuillier at second place with identical 10-4 slates but settled for No. 4 seeding with an inferior quotient.

The winner between the Knights and the fifth-placed Lakers face the LBC Blades on Friday with the Gems and the Slashers clashing in the other semis pairing. LBC Batangas and Negros enjoy the homecourt advantage.

Laguna coach Bonnie Garcia said his players are mentally ready for the challenge.

"They know this is fight to the death, so they’ve got to give everything they have," he said.

The Knights, of course, wouldn’t want to let their 10-4 record go to waste.

San Juan coach Philip Cesar is hopeful that their defeat to the Slashers would open the eyes of his players that they are just as vulnerable as the other teams.

Meanwhile, Friday’s new semifinal schedule pits Cebuana Lhuillier against Negros at the University of St. La Salle Bacolod at 3 p.m. instead of 5 p.m. LBC Batangas’ game against the winner of the San Juan-Laguna duel at the Sentrum will be held at 5 p.m. from 3 p.m. — Joey Villar