By JONAS TERRADO
Games Wednesday
(AUF Gym powered by Smart 5G)
10 a.m. – NLEX vs Terrafirma
1 p.m. – NorthPort vs Meralco
4 p.m. – Magnolia vs Blackwater
6:45 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Phoenix
The PBA Philippine Cup wraps up its grueling elimination round schedule Wednesday with another four-game bill that will decide the quarterfinal seedings at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center.
NLEX faces Terrafirma at 10 a.m., Meralco battles NorthPort at 1 p.m., streaking Magnolia meets Blackwater at 4 p.m. while Phoenix Super LPG and Rain or Shine collide in a game with playoff implications at 6:45 p.m.
Survival could be the battlecry for both Rain or Shine and NLEX depending on the result of another key game being played at presstime.
Rain or Shine was needing a win over TNT last night to secure the eighth and final playoff spot, but a loss opens the door for NLEX to stay alive in the race.
ROS went into its matchup with TNT with a 5-4 record while NLEX currently has a 4-6 slate.
If Rain or Shine and NLEX end up tied at 5-6, a playoff will be held Thursday for the last quarterfinal berth and a date with top seed and twice-to-beat Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
The Phoenix-Rain or Shine game is also important as far as the chase for the twice-to-beat advantage.
Phoenix, at 7-3, can clinch the twice-to-beat with a win but a loss may jeopardize its quest to claim the bonus once the quotient system is used to determine the tiebreaker.
Magnolia, which won five straight for a 6-4 record, still has a chance to gain the twice-to-beat but only with an outside chance since it suffered losses to teams in the hunt like defending champion San Miguel Beer, Alaska and Meralco.
Meralco, which has a 6-4 mark, is aiming for bigger things after ending a run of miserable performances in the All-Filipino tourney.
Out to be party pooper in the bids of these teams are Terrafirma, NorthPort and Blackwater, who will play their final games before leaving the bubble.
Terrafirma is at the bottom at 1-9, NorthPort has a 1-8 record before last night’s game with SMB while Blackwater dropped seven consecutive games for a 2-8 slate.
