Source: Waylon Galvez, mb.com.ph
-- Sta. Lucia Realty, Burger King, Coca-Cola, and Rain or Shine fight for survival this Sunday as they clash against each other in the wildcard phase of the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City.
The Realtors and the Elasto Painters clash in the curtain raiser at 4 p.m., while the Whoppers and the Tigers collide at 6:30 p.m.
Sta. Lucia was relegated to the wildcard when it lost to Purefoods the other night, 78-88, finishing the classification with a 10-8 win-loss record. A win could have forced a playoff for the last outright quarters slot with defending champion Talk ’N Text.
SLR’s defeat instead gave TNT (11-7) an automatic seat in the quarterfinals where it will face Ginebra (12-6) while Purefoods (12-6) battles the wildcard survivor in the best-of-five series.
Already in the seven-game series Final Four are San Miguel Beer and Alaska.
The Aces clinched the last outright slot following a 95-94 win against Rain or Shine also Friday night. Both SMB and Alaska finished with similar 13-win 5-loss cards, but the former took the No. 1 spot owing to its 2-0 record against the latter in the classification.
Despite the Realtors’ failure to force a playoff for an outright quarterfinal slot, coach Boyet Fernandez remains optimistic of his team’s chances, having beaten the Elasto Painters twice in the classification round.
“It’s really tough to play in a wildcard,” Fernandez said. “Being in knockout game, we have to play perfect. It’s going to be a no tomorrow, we have to be ready.”
But the Realtors won’t take the Painters lightly since their victories were both close.
The Painters also gave the Aces hell before bowing, 95-94, last Friday.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
0 comments