Five teams press Top 2 bids

Aces, Bolts fight for survival

MANILA, Philippines —  Rain or Shine and TNT KaTropa pursue their Top Two aspirations while Alaska Milk and Meralco chase their playoffs bids in a crucial double-header in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome today.

The Texters and the Aces clash in the 4:30 p.m. curtain-raiser then the Elasto Painters and the Bolts collide at 7 p.m., ushering in an explosive PBA weekend where champion teams San Miguel Beer, Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia press their own bids.

San Miguel (6-3) and Phoenix Pulse (8-2) face off in a critical road game in Panabo, Davao del Norte tomorrow while Ginebra (4-3) and Magnolia (3-4) square off in a big game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.

Also on Sunday at the Big Dome, NLEX (3-5) and Blackwater Elite (2-7) battle in a virtual knockout duel at 4:30 p.m.

The Fuel Masters, E-Painters, the KaTropa, the Beermen, and the Kings are the five remaining teams in contention for the twice-to-beat bonus in the quarterfinals. They figure in must-win games in the next three days.

Tonight, Rain or Shine, stalled in its last two games, seeks to get going again as they gun for an 8-3 (win-loss) closing card in the elims.

Coach Caloy Garcia and his ROS troops take their last shot at having a good crack at a twice-to-beat incentive while coach Norman Black and his Meralco chargers hope to take another step towards claiming a quarters berth.

Heading to their last three games, the Bolts are on the fringes of the Top Eight with just three wins against five losses.

The E-Painters are at second place at 7-3, but they need to check their two-game slide for a shot at the win-once bonus.

If they beat the Bolts, the E-Painters can have a strong chance at finishing in the Top Two with a superior quotient in case of a tie.

Rain or Shine has beaten Phoenix, San Miguel and Ginebra. TNT is the lone Top Two contender that won over ROS.

But the Bolts are likely to present a tough challenge.

The Bolts pumped life on their sagging playoff bid on a 126-123 double-overtime win over the NorthPort Batang Pier last week.