Talk n Text eyes top post vs Ginebra

MANILA, Philippines - Talk n Text seeks top honors while Barangay Ginebra shoots for a piece of third place as they go up against each other in the final game of the PBA Philippine Cup elimination round at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

It’s a virtual non-bearing game but the protagonists promise not to treat it as such.

“We’re hoping Jared Dillinger and Ryan Reyes can play but that will be a game-time decision. Jimmy is the one that is surely out. Still, we’ll go all out to try get the win and gain momentum for the playoffs,” said coach Chot Reyes whose TnT team is assured of a quarterfinals twice-to-beat edge whatever happens in the 6:30 p.m. game.

“We need to keep playing. You don’t come into the game with a mindset that you’re playing a non-bearing. It’s a no-no. Somehow, it will carry over or create bad habits,” said coach Siot Tanquingcen whose Ginebra Kings, on the other hand, are already guaranteed of a spot in the best-of-three quarters.

“We’ve achieved the first step of avoiding the top seed or the second seed. Nonetheless, we’ll continue to play hard and see where we fall,” Tanquingcen added.

Rain or Shine tangles with Alaska Milk in the day’s other game with the Elasto Painters also looking to build momentum for the playoffs beginning Wednesday.

Results of today’s twinbill determine final quarterfinal-round pairings.

If Talk n Text beats Ginebra, the Texters emerge the elims topnotchers and they play the eighth-seeded Powerade Tigers in the quarters.

If they lose, the Texters settle for second place and face the seventh-seeded Barako Bull Energy.

Whichever they play, the Texters need to win just once to advance to the semis.

A win by Barangay Ginebra over Talk n Text hands B-Meg the top seeding. Otherwise, the Llamados stay at second.

Depending on the results of today’s games, Ginebra, meanwhile, finishes either third, fourth or fifth.

But whatever happens, Petron, Ginebra, Rain or Shine and Meralco are the teams figuring in the two best-of-three quarters matchups.

Most possibly, it’s Ginebra versus Rain or Shine except in case the Kings win over the Texters and the Elasto Painters lose to the Aces.

In such scenario, Ginebra faces Meralco while Petron tangles with Rain or Shine in the quarters.

The Kings clinched spot in the best-of-three quarterfinals as they continued to get going, topping the Energy, 88-83, Thursday.

Ginebra came out strong and withstood Barako’s second-half fightback as the Kings made it four in a row and tied the Elasto Painters at fourth place at 8-5.

Failing to make the quarters are Shopinas.com and Alaska Milk.