By JONAS TERRADO
Game Today
(Cagayan de Oro City)
5 p.m. – Magnolia vs Meralco
The Meralco Bolts try to stay alive in the quarterfinal race and produce another upset win, this time against the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok in today’s PBA Philippine Cup out-of-town game at the Xavier University Gym in Cagayan de Oro City.
Meralco will once again be in survival mode for its final elimination round assignment as the Bolts need to beat the favored Hotshots in the Petron Saturday Special game at 5 p.m. to give themselves a ray of hope in the chase for the eight spots in the playoffs.
But Magnolia, already assured of a quarters berth, is also eager to claim a victory down south to remain in the hunt for the top two spot and the twice-to-beat advantage.
The Hotshots are likewise playing their last game of the eliminations.
Magnolia carries a 7-3 record for second place while Meralco is locked in a three-way share of ninth place with TNT KaTropa and Phoenix at 4-6.
Meralco looked like it has nine lives after posting wins over Phoenix (92-90) last Feb. 14 and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (84-82) four days later to avoid a third consecutive early exit in the season’s most prestigious tournament.
The Bolts eked out a victory over Ginebra at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan behind the sweet-shooting of Garvo Lanete, the playmaking of backup guard Anjo Caram and the big plays of center Jason Ballesteros.
“I know it sounds cliché, it sounds corny but you know we just said this is our championship. Let’s just play our hearts out. What do we have to lose? Let’s give it our best shot and see what happens. And that’s what the players did,” Meralco coach Norman Black said after Sunday’s game.
A difficult task awaits Meralco as it will play minus hardworking forward Cliff Hodge, who is out for the remainder of the conference with a Grade 2 MCL sprain and Jared Dillinger likely to play catch up after recovering from an injury.
The Hotshots see action for the first time since a 99-84 win over the GlobalPort Batang Pier eight days ago, with Ian Sangalang, Rome dela Rosa, Mark Barroca, Paul Lee, Justin Melton and Marc Pingris instrumental in that match.
