Beermen eye 2nd outright seat vs Elite

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Beer guns for the second automatic semifinals berth versus winless cellar-dweller Blackwater while Globalport and Meralco fight for a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals in two crucial matches at the close of the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations at the Cuneta Astrodome today.

The Beermen and the Elite, clash at 4:15 p.m. then the Batang Pier and the Bolts face off at 7 p.m.

It’s actually a triple-bill as Purefoods and Barako Bull slug it out at 2 p.m., both already priming up for the quarterfinals. This match was supposed to be played in Dipolog City last Saturday.

On the eve of the Purefoods-Barako game, the two team agreed on a trade deal sending Mick Pennisi to the Hotshots camp for Isaac Holstein and Ronnie Matias.

Their five-game romp stopped by Talk n Text Friday, the Beermen can still make it all the way to the top with a win over Elite today.

Coach Leo Austria vows they will take Blackwater seriously as they’re determined to finish on top and get outright entry into the Final Four.

A loss will relegate the Beermen all the way down to No. 4, needing to go through the quarterfinals. In this scenario, Alaska would beat Talk n Text and San Miguel Beer in a quotient tiebreak for the No. 2 spot behind Rain or Shine.

But with its talent-laden lineup and experience, the Beermen are expected to rampage past the Elite.

Meanwhile, the winner in the Globalport-Meralco tiff finishes either fifth or sixth with a 6-5 win-loss card, and claims a twice-to-beat advantage in the first phase of the quarterfinal round.

The loser winds up outside the Magic Six at 5-6, needing to win two in a row to make the knockout stage of the quarters.

It’s a virtual knockout game and the two teams are expected to come out with playoffs mindset.

The winner will be with Talk n Text, Barangay Ginebra and either San Miguel Beer or Alaska Milk – the higher seeds in the quarters versus the Nos. 7-10 teams.

The Batang Pier, under interim coach Eric Gonzales, are on line to breaking new ground in the league or surpassing the franchise’s best finish of fifth in the 2012-13 Governors Cup.

They put themselves in a good position after checking a two-game losing skein with a 98-77 whipping of the Barangay Ginebra Kings during Gonzales’ first game as interim coach on Nov. 30.

The question is whether Gonzales has made his assignment on how to keep his team sharp during that long breather.