Aces, Boosters clash for spot in elite Top 6

MANILA, Philippines - Alaska Milk and Petron Blaze slug it out for a spot in the Top Six tonight while Air21 fights for survival against also-ran Globalport in the third to the last playdate of the PBA Philippine Cup elimination round at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Express and the Batang Pier clash in the 5:15 p.m. curtain-raiser then the Aces and the Boosters collide at 7:30 p.m. in the last elims double-header at the Big Dome before action shifts to the MOA Arena for the penultimate and closing twinbills.

With six games in the elims left, still to be determined are the four teams figuring in best-of-three quarterfinals showdowns and which between Air21 and Barako Bull will get the last ticket to the playoff phase.

Talk n Text, with an 11-2 win-loss record, is guaranteed of a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarters while San Mig Coffee also looks poised to gain the same incentive in the next round with a 9-3 card.

Left jockeying for positions behind the top two are Rain or Shine (8-5), Barangay Ginebra (7-6), Meralco (7-6), Alaska (7-6) and Petron Blaze (6-7).

The Aces automatically end the race for the Top Six if they hurdle the Boosters. Alaska coach Luigi Trillo, however, admits it’s not easy. 

“Their chemistry seems much better now. They have Junmar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter back, and they’re playing their third game with a complete lineup,” said Trillo.

“Arwind Santos leads the league in rebounds, and he’s a major concern,” Trillo also said, noting that rebounding has been a big problem by his team in the current tournament.

“We are the last in the league in rebounds given up. We get only 41 and gives up 48 a game,” Trillo pointed out.

For Petron Blaze, a big concern is how to be consistent.

The Boosters need to bounce back from a loss to the Talk n Text Tropang Texters last Wednesday or they settle for seventh place, facing in the next round the second seed with a twice-to-beat advantage.

Locked in a tight fight for the last quarters berth with Barako Bull, Air21 also faces a must-win situation versus Globalport.

The Express and the Energy Cola are tied at eighth place with identical 4-9 slate going to their last game in the elims.

The Batang Pier are out for the playoff race at 1-11.