MANILA, Philippines - Barangay Ginebra, riding the momentum of a hot run after an atrocious start, pursues its bid for an automatic semifinals entry as it clashes with Coca-Cola in the penultimate playdate of the Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference classification round at the Araneta Coliseum today.
The Kings play the Tigers at 5 p.m., looking for victory No. 8 that will assure the team of a playoff crack at the second automatic semis seat.
However, a sweep of their last two games will automatically give Ginebra the second semis seat.
The Kings, who beat the Air21 Express (now Burger King Whoppers) in last year’s finale, will be up against the Alaska Milk Aces Friday, also at the Big Dome, in a game originally scheduled in Legazpi City Saturday but was postponed due to the unplayable condition at the venue.
“It’s good we have a shot at the semis and we’re proud of that, considering where we came from,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico, whose wards had a 1-5 win-loss start in the tournament.
On the other hand, Coca-Cola, with a 5-7 win-loss card, hopes to sweep its last two games to clinch a guaranteed spot in the knockout pairings (team Nos. 5 to 8) in the wildcard round.
Talk n Text and Alaska Milk tangle in the day’s other game with the former still out to salvage a playoff crack at the second semis seat and the latter seeking to catch Coca-Cola at No. 8.
Jimmy Alapag put in 18 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as Talk n Text notched a crucial 135-129 double-overtime win over Burger King Wednesday. He earned the Motolite-Accel Player of the Weeks honors for the period May 11-17.
A Ginebra loss to Coke and a TNT win will put the Texters in a playoff with Rain or Shine for the No. 2 slot. Alaska will be hoping for a Tigers loss to keep alive the Aces’ hopes of playing off for the No. 8 spot.
Curiously, Ginebra won its first encounter with Coca-Cola before taking a five-game slide.
“Both teams are playing for survival, them to evade ninth and us to get to the semis,” said Uichico, expecting a battle in the rematch.