SALVAGING THE SCRAPS
ANOTHER sorry conference is about to end for GlobalPort and Meralco, but that doesn’t mean they can’t go out on a bright note.
The Batang Pier and the Bolts tangle Saturday, with each hoping for a victory to cap their campaign in the PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors’ Cup at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.
With Alaska’s win over Barangay Ginebra Friday, GlobalPort and Meralco became the conference’s early casualties.
The Bolts can actually still finish in a tie for eighth spot with a win and a Barako Bull victory over Alaska on Sunday. However, the Energy will still advance to the quarterfinals with its higher quotient.
Should GlobalPort win, Meralco would wind up solo ninth, two rungs lower than its Commissioner’s Cup placing.
For its part, GlobalPort is just trying to salvage what it can after bowing out of the quarterfinals race with a loss to Air21 last Wednesday.
That was the Batang Pier’s conference-worst sixth straight defeat, which caused them to miss the playoffs for the second straight tournament.
Yet GlobalPort can avoid back-to-back 10th place finishes should it prevail and tie Meralco’s 2-7 record.
The memory of snapping out of an eight-game slide by beating Barako in their last Commissioner’s Cup eliminations game should also prop the Batang Pier.
Then there is the future to think of as both Meralco and GlobalPort can tinker with their plays to fine-tune them for the tournaments ahead. (NC)
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