The three teams under the MVP Group are now forced into an intramural of sorts for the lower quarterfinal slots in the PBA Governors’ Cup with TNT KaTropa and NLEX on a decline and Meralco on a recent surge.
TNT and NLEX now share seventh to eighth spots at 4-5 while Meralco was toting a 3-6 card before yesterday’s match against Rain or Shine at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Three spots to the last eight are available going into the final two weeks of the eliminations, with Magnolia (7-2), Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (7-2), Blackwater (6-2) and Alaska (6-2) and Phoenix (6-3) already in.
Blackwater and Alaska were playing the main game of last night’s twin-bill at press time.
San Miguel Beer is in sixth at 4-4, needing to win at least two in its final three matches to advance to the playoffs.
TNT saw its three-game winning streak snapped with a 107-96 loss to San Miguel in Calasiao, Pangasinan last Saturday, blowing a chance to inch closer toward the quarters.
The KaTropa have a tough schedule ahead, facing Magnolia on Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City and Ginebra on Nov. 4 at the Big Dome.
NLEX has dropped its last three games, with tough meetings with Alaska (Oct. 26) and Rain or Shine (Nov. 3) on tap.
Meralco looked to be heading to an early vacation following a six-game slide, only to come alive with wins over NLEX and Magnolia last week to jump into ninth spot.
Beating Rain or Shine will give Meralco more momentum before it takes on San Miguel on Nov. 3, also at Araneta.
(Jonas Terrado)
