Beermen, Painters, Road Warriors fight for outright quarters entry

Games Tuesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – NLEX vs San Miguel       

7 p.m. – Globalport vs Rain or Shine

MANILA, Philippines – Reigning two-conference champ San Miguel Beer, perennial contender Rain or Shine and rising NLEX all take a shot at an outright quarterfinals entry in a rare Tuesday bill in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Saturday night.

The Beermen and the Road Warriors clash at 4:15 p.m. then the Elasto Painters and the Globalport Batang Pier collide at 7 p.m., marking the start of the last 10 days of the elimination round.

San Miguel, NLEX and Rain or Shine are all determined to make a strong finishing kick in the elims so as not just to make the quarterfinals cast but be in the Top Six to avoid a quarters matchup with a twice-to-beat advantage.

At 5-3, the Beermen could still have a shot at the Top Two if they sweep their last three games against the Road Warriors, the Phoenix Fuel Masters and the Tropang TNT Texters.

“If we lose one game and figure in a three-way tie at second place involving Ginebra, we’ll not get a playoff crack at it because of an inferior quotient,” said SMB coach Leo Austria, ruing their lopsided 84-110 loss to Ginebra Sunday.

The Road Warriors and the E-Painters are both focused on making the Top Six.

“We don’t want to be eliminated and we don’t want to be at No. 7 or No. 8. With two games left, the goal is to make No. 6 at the very least,” said ROS coach Yeng Guiao.

An outright quarterfinals berth is there for the taking for Rain or Shine which has Globalport then Blackwater as last two assignments in the elims. Both the Batang Pier (2-7) and the Elite (3-7) are now out of the playoff race.

The E-Painters seek to formalize quarters entry in their immediate game versus the Batang Pier.

But the Batang Pier aren’t expected to just come out and go through the motion though. They can be very dangerous playing with no pressure at all.

In a bid to salvage what was left in their aspiration in the tourney, Globalport brought back Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle the last time out and narrowly lost to NLEX, 105-110.

Romeo announced his comeback from a calf strain with eight three-pointers and a total of 27 markers while Pringle came through with 11 points and seven assists.

They could well be up for exciting matchups with Paul Lee, Jericho Cruz and Maverick Ahanmisi.

“We’re still looking for Paul (Lee) to get his rhythm back. Babalik din yan,” said Guiao.

Another concern for the E-Painters is Globalport import Shawn Taggart with his solid norms of 31.7 ppg, 13.7 rpg and 2.7 apg.

Rain or Shine’s Mo Charlo sports less impressive stats line with 24.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 3.7 apg.