Three teams step up playoff drive

Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Alaska vs NLEX

7 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Barako Bull 

MANILA, Philippines – Alaska Milk, Rain or Shine and NLEX, three teams already on the threshold of post-elims play, continue to jockey for position atop the heap as they figure in a crucial double-header in the Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

The Aces tangle with the Road Warriors at 4:15 p.m. while the Elasto Painters take on the Barako Bull Energy at 7 p.m. in a twinbill featuring three teams in contention for the Top Two, which gain outright entry into the semifinals.

With a 5-1 win-loss card, Alaska needs only one more win to formalize its entry into the playoffs.

Rain or Shine is at 4-1 behind co-leaders Alaska Milk and San Miguel Beer with NLEX and Talk n Text coming next at 4-2.

Barako Bull, meanwhile, has some catching up to do after falling to 3-3 on two losses in its last three games.

With San Miguel Beer barely escaping past Barako Bull on a last-second heroic of Arwind Santos, Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao is wary of Barako.

“They have a really tough set of guards. They have improved a great deal from last year,” said Guiao.

“Our challenge is to extend out on their shooters without getting beaten off the dribble. We also need our bigs to keep playing well as a group,” Guiao also said.

Guiao considers the Energy as a big threat with their even 3-3 record with victories over Mahindra (93-85), Barangay Ginebra (82-79) and Meralco (108-106).

They should have been at 4-2 if not for the lucky break San Miguel enjoyed in the closing seconds of their 106-105 squeaker Sunday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.

But Rain or Shine is definitely the odds-on pick.

“We’re going up against a stacked deck. They are the No. 1 offensive team. They are No. 1 in three-point shooting percentage and anybody can penetrate to the basket,” said Barako coach Koy Banal of ROS.

“They are sharing the ball which makes them the best in assist department. They are very familiar with their system and with each other,” Banal also said. “The plan is just to stay basic. We want to be active defensively. We have to do a good job in rebounding as well.”

Stopped on their tracks by the Globalport Batang Pier, 111-113, on Nov. 13, the E-Painters quickly regained their winning ways with a 103-81 rout of the Blackwater Elite the last time out.

Beau Belga, Jericho Cruz, Jeff Chan, Raymond Almazan and JR Quiñahan lead the way for the E-Painters with their double-digit averages.

Willy Wilson has had double-double norms (13.6 points and 10.6 rebounds) for the Energy who also get regular double-digit outputs from RR Garcia (15.3 ppg), JC Intal (14.8 ppg) and Josh Urbiztondo (10 ppg).