KINGS, BATANG PIER CONTINUE CHASE FOR QF SPOTS IN LUCENA
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and GlobalPort square off in the last Petron Blaze-sponsored road game in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup in Lucena City Saturday, both trying to hang onto a spot in the Top Eight.
The Kings and the Batang Pier actually fight for solo sixth place as they slug it out at 5 p.m. at the Quezon Convention Center.
The two teams currently share sixth spot with Alaska at 4-5, with both losing their last two games.
Ginebra dropped sorry losses to NLEX and Rain or Shine while GlobalPort yielded crucial games against Talk n Text and NLEX.
With the first five playoff slots already secured by Purefoods, Rain or Shine, Talk n Text, Meralco and NLEX, the three remaining berths are a toss-up among Ginebra, GlobalPort, Alaska, Barako Bull and Kia.
Now with a benefit of a couple of practices with the Batang Pier, Derrick Caracter could well present a tough test for the Gin Kings.
In his PBA debut on March 15, the former LA Laker came out strong, delivering 20 points and nine rebounds in the first half, but slowed down in the final half.
NLEX import Al Thornton struggled for only 19 points after a 50-point explosion the last time out, but KG Canaleta picked up the cudgels, sizzling with a personal season best of 29 as the Road Warriors roared past the Batang Pier, 94-81.
For their part, the Kings dropped their last game against the E-Painters as they squandered an early 18-point spread and an eight-point bubble in the last four minutes of play.
The Kings were ahead at 79-71 before running into a maze of errors and misses in the face of the E-Painters’ super tight defense.
LA Tenorio missed a wide-open layup and Mike Dunigan was caught stepping on the baseline, starting the Kings’ collapse that was much like their loss to the NLEX Road Warriors in their previous outing.
The Kings and the Batang Pier are expected to go hammer and tongs at each other in their crucial setto. (SB)
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