PLDT, RCBC go for semis; Star virtually in

Two teams seek outright berths in the cross-over semifinals in the penultimate playdate of the Coke Light Invitational basketball tournament elimination round at the Meralco gym today.

PLDT and reigning champion Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. gun for a slot in the Final Four as they take on separate rivals while the STAR hopes to keep its winning way for a sweep of the elims.

It’s the Phone Pals against the Sunkist Juicers at 8 a.m., the Bankers against the Car Specialists at 9:30 a.m. and the Starmen against the Red Bull Barako Thunder at 11 a.m.

The Starmen are looking for a fourth straight win while the Phone Pals and the Bankers are both eyeing a third win against a lone defeat.

Red Bull and CAR Inc. are tied at fourth place with identical 1-2 win-loss records while Sunkist is at the bottom with a 0-3 slate.

The top four teams after the single round-robin elims advance to the cross-over semifinals in this tournament introduced by STAR Group of Publications president Miguel Belmonte last year to foster friendship and camaraderie among their major advertisers and business partners.

The STAR, which virtually entered the semis after winning its first three games, is going for a sweep in its last two games.