Last year, Ginebra and Shell were the big newsmakers in the PBA All-Filipino Cup with the Gin Kings, then seeded eighth and last in the quarterfinals, ousting the top ranked Mobiline Phone Pals and the Zoom Masters bucking the odds all the way to a stunning conquest of the Tanduay Rhum Masters in the finals.
This time, both face oblivious ouster in the season-opening tournament as they fight to avoid elimination just after the preliminary round in a one-game playoff at the Araneta Coliseum.
The sudden-death is set at 6 p.m. with the loser joining Red Bull in the sidelines and the winner advancing to the quarterfinals against top seed Tanduay Rhum.
Both teams have had good results in playoff games in the past, thus, they are expected to figure in a fierce contest.
Ginebra coach Allan Caidic said they have the disadvantage on the fact that they had only one day to prepare for Shell after surviving another must-win game versus Mobiline Friday.
"Sila nakapagpahinga na at na-scout pa kami sa laban namin sa Mobiline, samantalang kami galing sa bugbugan sa Mobiline at makikipag-bugbugan naman sa kanila (Shell)," said Caidic.
"But I'm not complaining for this is the consequence of our unsteady stint in the elims. We don't have no recourse but to play hard to gain another day to live in this tournament," he added.