THE national team players return to their mother clubs as the battle for playoff slots turns feverish in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Fresh from bailing out Gilas Pilipinas over Japan with his clutch floater last Sunday, Jayson Castro tries to do the same with the struggling TNT (4-6 won-lost), which faces Kiefer Ravena-led NLEX (6-4) at 4:30 p.m.
Four-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo, meanwhile, drives San Miguel Beer (8-2) for the finishing touches of the Beermen’s eliminations campaign when they take on Gabe Norwood and Rain or Shine (5-4) at 7 p.m.
Castro and Ravena shone the brightest against Japan en route to a 89-84 victory.
Castro, Asia’s best point guard, finished with eight points, none bigger with his off-balance runner that sealed the deal for Gilas with 10.6 seconds left.
Ravena, on the other hand, sparked the first-quarter comeback that proved to be the turning point of the game. He had 13 points built on three triples.
TNT is tied with Phoenix at ninth to 10th places. The KaTropa still has a game to prove that they remain as playoff contenders.
“At this point, we still have much control of our fate because we still have one game. If we lose, that’s it,” TNT Head Coach Nash Racela said.
Beating NLEX would assure them of a quarterfinal ticket or a knockout playoff battle for the last spot at eighth place.
With a playoff position already on their side, Road Warriors mentor Yeng Guiao targets to get the sixth place to avoid a twice-to-beat disadvantage.
“We’re just trying to avoid the seventh and eighth places. All we want is to play a team on even terms,” Guiao said.