BOOSTERS, KINGS IN ‘HUNGER GAMES’
This is a Final Eight matchup pitting a highly formidable side with a dominant run in the eliminations versus a never-say-die squad that willed itself to catch the last bus to the quarterfinals.
Petron Blaze is the odds-on pick while Barangay Ginebra, as usual, is the sentimental favorite as they slug it out for a spot in the PBA Governors Cup best-of-five semifinals.
The Boosters, the elimination-round top-notchers with an amazing eight-game run following a losing conference debut, take their first of two cracks at the semis in battling the Kings at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Hunger is Petron’s biggest motivation as it tries to finish off Ginebra.
The Boosters failed to make it past the quarters in the Philippine Cup and in the Commissioner’s Cup, and have been terrible under-achievers since winning the franchise’s last championship in the 2011 Governors Cup.
Coach Gie Abanilla and his troops ache to sustain their great elims ride deep into the playoffs, if not all the way to the championship.
Ginebra is hungrier, having been without a crown for five years now.
Playing two games in three days, the Kings, however, need to go through same route to have a chance at dislodging the Boosters.
A comforting thought for the Kings is the fact that they’ve been in that situation so many times – and with positive results.
They’d been there and squeezed through in the last conference versus Rain or Shine. They went all the way to the finals, placing second to the eventual champs Alaska Milk Aces.
“Nandito ang pagkakataon, syempre pipilitin namin na huag itong masayang,” said Ginebra coach Ato Agustin.
An interesting subplot in the Petron-Ginebra matchup is the side battle between Arwind Santos and LA Tenorio for the season MVP award.
Whoever makes the next round is likely to emerge the chief contender for the coveted individual plum.
After losing their first game in the tourney versus the Meralco Bolts, the Boosters broke into the win-column with a 101-95 drubbing of the Kings.
And the Boosters have never lost a game since then. (SB)
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