Elite, Gems target D-League Final 4

Games today  (Meralco Gym, Ortigas Ave.)

2 p.m. – Blackwater Sports vs Café France

4 p.m. – Cebuana Lhuillier vs Big Chill

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion Blackwater Sports and Cebuana Lhuillier try to finish off their respective quarterfinal opponents and join outright qualifiers NLEX and Jumbo Plastic in the Final Four of the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the Meralco gym in Ortigas.

The No. 3 Elite face off with the Café France Bakers at 2 p.m. while the fourth-seeded Gems take on the Big Chill Superchargers at 4 p.m. with both teams needing just a win to advance to the semifinal round.

The Bakers and the Superchargers, on the other hand, must win twice to snatch the two other semifinal berths.

Blackwater Sports defeated Café France, 69-67, last week with coach Leo Isaac upbeat of his wards’ chances to score a repeat.

“We expect to improve more in the playoffs and we are coming in with a positive mindset against (Café France),” said Isaac, who also hopes to draw some solid numbers from new acquisition 6-5 Raul Soyud, who was released by Derulo Accelero yesterday.

Blackwater Sports finished the elims in a tie with Jumbo Plastic but the Giants clinched the second seeding and the outright semis berth via the winner-over-the-other rule.

Café France, on the other hand, closed out their elims campaign in a tie with four other teams for the last quarterfinal spot with a higher quotient.

The Gems got past the Superchargers in their first meeting but are expected to encounter stiff resistance with the latter going all out to force a decider and snatch one of the two semis seats.

“That loss to (Cebuana) in the elims was one of those losses we thought could have been a won game for us. That is also a loss that really hurt our chance to improve and get a good position in the team standings. We’ve been in this situation before and we know how hard it is to win. But we will definitely go all out and give our best shot,” said Big Chill coach Robert Sison.