Painters, Road Warriors eye to strengthen quarters bid

Games Friday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Phoenix

7 p.m. – Globalport vs NLEX

MANILA, Philippines – Rain or Shine and NLEX try to boost their stocks inside the Magic Eight while Phoenix Petroleum and Globalport fight for survival in a critical double-header in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday.

The E-Painters and the Fuel Masters clash at 4:15 p.m. then the Road Warriors and the Batang Pier collide at 7 p.m., ahead of a super weekend featuring Alaska Milk against Star in a Petron Blaze Saturday Special in Davao City then San Miguel Beer versus Barangay Ginebra in a colossal matchup at the Big Dome Sunday.

Rain or Shine and NLEX both look to tie Barangay Ginebra and Tropang TNT at fourth place at 5-4 (win-loss) while Phoenix (3-5) and Globalport (2-6) are out to shake off placings, at least in the lower half of the team standings.

Coming off a 10-day rest, the E-Painters are fancied to bounce back strong from a loss to the Tropang TNT Texters the last time out that snapped their three-game winning streak.

“We’re expecting them to really come out strong. The reminder to our guys is to stay basic, no special game plan. More than the physical aspect of the game, we want to be ready mentally,” said Phoenix coach Koy Banal.

Banal hopes their 124-120 overtime win over the Blackwater Elite Wednesday can provide them some momentum going to their game against the E-Painters.

Rain or Shine had strung up three stirring wins over NLEX, San Miguel and Mahindra before being stopped on their tracks by TNT.

The E-Painters can really be very dangerous especially with all the opportunities presented by their long break. For one, it’s an opportunity for Mo Charlo to get to know well his teammates and the system of coach Yeng Guiao.

Meanwhile, the Road Warriors don’t want to be caught flat-footed, thus they’ve prepared against a Globalport side with a complete cast.

“With a complete lineup, Globalport is a tough team to beat. We have to be consistent on our defensive effort just like what we did versus Blackwater,” said NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez.

“We have to double our effort so that we can limit the combined offensive power of Terrence Romeo, Stanley Pringle and Shawn Taggart,” Fernandez also said. “But it’s easier said than done. We really have to be consistent if we want to win the game and give ourselves a chance to enter the quarters”

On an up-and-down ride, NLEX (4-4) seeks a follow up its 88-75 conquest of Blackwater to get into the threshold of the quarterfinal round.

On a tremendous downward spiral since the ouster of Pringle and Romeo, Globalport needs to sweep its last three games against NLEX, Rain or Shine and Phoenix to have a shot at the post-elims play.

Globalport officials have earlier said Romeo, the scoring leader among all local players, is out for the rest of the conference due to a calf strain.

The Batang Pier, however, are likely to come out playing with a lot of emotion, with their back against the wall and with coach Pido Jarencio grieving with the passing of his father Benedicto.