Kings get Sargent in deal with Global Port

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra continued to toughen up heading to the homestretch of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup elimination round, acquiring Julian Sargent from GlobalPort in exchange for Paolo Taha.

The Gin Kings, determined to make a late push to salvage a playoff spot in the midseason tourney which they topped in the past two seasons, took in Sargent a day after netting Jeff Chan in a separate trade deal with Phoenix Petroleum.

The Batang Pier, meanwhile, reacquired Taha whom they dealt to Mahindra (Columbian Dyip) in 2016.

Ginebra and GlobalPort struck a trade deal on the eve of their crucial matches versus Columbian Dyip and Phoenix, respectively, tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Batang Pier and the Fuel Masters square off at 4:30 p.m. then the Dyip and the Gin Kings face off at 7 p.m. in a pair of virtual playoff matches.

GlobalPort shares fifth place with San Miguel Beer at 4-4 while Columbian is at joint seventh with Magnolia at 4-5 but Ginebra is now right behind them at 3-5, with Phoenix standing right next at 3-6.

Victories by the Gin Kings and the Fuel Masters will shake up the middle of the leaderboard.

But GlobalPort and Columbian are in high spirits coming off stirring triumphs the last time out. The Batang Pier bucked the ouster of Malcolm White on technical infractions in the last eight-minute mark in upstaging the San Miguel Beermen, 98-94, last week while the Dyip rolled over the Fuel Masters, 115-107, on June 10.

The Dyip, however, face an uphill climb against a rejuvenated Ginebra squad.

The Kings have moved within reach of at least the bottom four in the Top Eight following back-to-back wins over the NLEX Road Warriors (93-85) and the Magnolia Hotshots (104-84).