By Jonas Terrado
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Magnolia were forced to play the waiting game at presstime to see if they will start their best-of-five PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series today or be given until the weekend to map out their battle plans.
The outcome of the Phoenix-Meralco and Alaska-San Miguel Beer quarterfinal matches last night will depend on whether the Kings and the Hotshots will be asked to return to the floor tonight and begin their semis showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Phoenix and Alaska need to win their games at the Cuneta Astrodome to arrange their own best-of-five semis duel. Both teams carry a twice-to-beat advantage against their quarterfinal foes.
Should both Phoenix and Alaska prevail, the Ginebra-Magnolia semis starts tonight as per a memo handed by the PBA over the weekend.
But a win by either Meralco or San Miguel or both will force a rubber match tomorrow at the Big Dome, thus moving the start of the Ginebra-Magnolia series to Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
PBA sources said the league is looking to finish the semifinals as soon as they can to give national team coach Yeng Guiao enough preparation time for the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
The semis could end as late as Nov. 20, which comes 10 days before the Philippines takes on Kazakhstan in the start of the fifth window at the Mall of Asia Arena. The Nationals are also slated to meet Iran on Dec. 3 at the same venue.
Having to wait for the results of the remaining quarterfinal encounters will likely affect Ginebra and Magnolia’s preparation for their semis duel.
