MANNING UP TIME FOR ENERGY, ACES
BOTH Alaska and Barako Bull have tried, but were repeatedly denied.
The two now find out which among them gets closer to a coveted slot when they collide Wednesday in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Barako active consultant Rajko Toroman and Alaska coach Luigi Trillo did not offer any comment on the game. But considering the stakes, expect the match to be a “no-quarters-given, no-quarters-asked” one.
The Energy are looking to put behind them two straight losses and wind up the nine-game eliminations phase with a fifth win that would at least secure them a playoff spot for a top four standing and a twice-to-beat edge in the ensuing quarterfinals.
The Aces, meanwhile, are also coming off back-to-back losses and a fourth win in eight games would serve them in good stead when they go up against Air21 at elims end on Sunday.
Should Alaska win said matches then it would be the one knocking on a top four position. But its chances of simply making the quarters could be in serious jeopardy with two more losses.
They would not have been on the edge had they gotten the job done in their most recent matches.
Alaska had the chance of bolstering its bid when it engaged leader Petron Blaze in a tight battle last Friday, only to falter in the finish and come out on the short end of a 100-103 game.
As a result, the Boosters went on to formally clinch the top seeding while the Aces absorbed a defeat that came on the heels of an 82-95 rout at the hands of a San Mig Coffee crew that played minus the suspended Marc Pingris and Joe Devance last Sept. 10.
The same is true of Barako, which could have been the one occupying San Mig’s current position at joint second. But the Energy blew a nine-point fourth quarter lead and had Mike Singletary committing a crucial error in the dying seconds and lost a 77-81 decision last Saturday.
How Alaska and Barako would man up and get that much-needed ‘W’ should be the biggest question. (NC)
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