SECOND-RUNNING Barangay Ginebra and No. 6 Meralco push for their respective bids as they renew their rivalry in a crucial Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup duel on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Gin Kings (6-2) seek to give their Top 2 campaign a boost while the Bolts (4-3) look to move closer to the playoffs in the 6 p.m. entanglement following the equally important battle between Blackwater (5-2) and Rain or Shine (2-6) at 3 p.m.
Ginebra and Meralco face off for the first time since their Governors鈥 Cup title clash won by the former in six games. The rivals duel without their head coaches with Gin Kings mentor Tim Cone serving the Miami Heat鈥檚 NBA Summer League team and Bolts tactician Norman Black attending to his ailing mother in the US.
They enter the court coming off contrasting fates with Ginebra bowing to TnT, 106-92, and Meralco beating Rain or Shine, 77-73.
鈥淲e still have a chance at Top 2 so we鈥檒l move on,鈥 interim coach Richard del Rosario said after their loss. 鈥淲e鈥檒l correct the things that we need to correct and then look forward.鈥
Luigi Trillo steered Meralco to victory last time and will join hands with Ronnie Magsanoc in manning the ramparts.
鈥淭ulungan lang kami. I鈥檓 sure coach Norman would want to be here and we鈥檙e just holding the fort. But obviously, he has more important things, his mom,鈥 said Mr. Trillo. 鈥淗opefully, we can get a couple more wins para when he gets back, at least we have a shot entering the playoffs, better chance.鈥
Meanwhile, the Bossing try to bounce back from their 110-107 overtime loss to leader San Miguel Beer and stay in the mix in the chase for the two win-once incentives.
The Elasto Painters, on the other hand, eye a follow-up to their 96-86 upset of NLEX to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive. 鈥 Olmin Leyba
