Purefoods, Meralco, Rain or Shine start bid for semis edge

Games Friday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Blackwater vs Rain or Shine

7 p.m. – Meralco vs Purefoods

MANILA, Philippines – Defending champion Purefoods Star, Meralco and Rain or Shine, three of four remaining teams in contention for the Top Two, press their bids for a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals as they see action in a crucial twin bill in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday night.

The Elasto Painters face a lighter assignment in also-ran Blackwater at 4:15 p.m. then the Hotshots and the Bolts square off in what could well be a slam-bang showdown at 7 p.m.

The E-Painters, the Hotshots and the Bolts are all expected to go all-out for a win that will enhance their hopes for the Top Two.

“Simply put we have to win to have a chance to get the twice to beat advantage. We are playing a very good Purefoods team so we will have to play with a lot of energy and we must execute on both ends of the court,” said Meralco coach Norman Black.

“At this point, every team is playing for their playoffs lives, so every team is dangerous. For us, the playoffs have come early because every game is playoff-like now and to win, you have to impose your will,” said Purefoods coach Tim Cone.

An upset by Blackwater over Rain or Shine will give Purefoods a crack at an outright Top Two finish.

The Elasto Painters, however, aren’t likely to take the Elite for granted.

Rain or Shine, finalist in two conferences last year, must sweep its last two games against Blackwater and Kia to get a shot at first or second place.

Purefoods and Talk n Text are tied at 7-3 (win-loss) while Rain or Shine and Meralco at squared up at 6-3 – all teams assured of at least a spot in the best-of-three quarterfinals.

The Hotshots moved up on top after outlasting the Texters, 118-117, in a triple-overtime grind in Davao Saturday then topping the Barako Bull Energy, 103-96, at the Big Dome Tuesday.

Cone and his troops, however, would not like the prospect of figuring in a tie with E-Painters or with the E-Painters and the Texters because of their inferior quotient.

Quotient-wise, Meralco is up on Talk n Text and Rain or Shine, teams that the Bolts have beaten.

The Bolts, thus, can automatically finish on top with a sweep of their last two games against the Hotshots and the Blackwater Elite.

Cone is wary of Meralco import Josh Davis.

“Josh Davis is a guy that I wanted to bring over from the D-League. He was my guy, but we didn’t want to pay the buyout fee,” said Cone. “He was my favorite player in the D-League. He’s like Rossell Ellis times two, bigger height. I really like Josh.”