Ginebra, Phoenix face off for last Final 8 spot

Pursuing backdoor entry

MANILA, Philippines — For all their struggles and missteps, embattled defending champion Barangay Ginebra and Phoenix Super LPG are grateful they’re still in play for the 46th PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.

After bungling a couple of opportunities to advance outright, the Gin Kings and the Fuel Masters look to make the most of their second chance in today’s you-or-me faceoff in Bacolor, Pampanga.

“We’ve been given an unexpected reprieve so we want to do our best and take advantage of it,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone ahead of the 4:35 p.m. sudden death at the Don Honorio Ventura State U Gym.

Ginebra and Phoenix, the Top 2 seeds of last year’s Clark bubble post-elims, have had difficulty gaining traction this season and found themselves disputing the lowest seeding for a date with No. 1 and twice-to-beat TNT Tropang Giga (10-1).

The Gin Kings failed to progress straightaway after yielding to No. 2 Meralco in their last elims slate last Thursday, 66-79, and finished at 4-7 in a tie with Phoenix and Terrafirma for eighth.

Due to its superior quotient, Phoenix moved forward to the playoff for No. 8. Cone and his troops then took the second position, getting a helping hand from NorthPort’s 122-94 rout of Alaska Thursday night. Had the Aces won that one, they would have forced a four-team logjam at 4-7 and it would have been the Dyip instead of the Gin Kings in the playoff against Phoenix.

“The No. 8 spot won’t be given to us. We have to earn it,” stressed Phoenix mentor Topex Robinson, whose team is coming off back-to-back elims losses to Ginebra, 87-94, and San Miguel, 80-110.

The Gin Kings are hard-pressed to keep their reign alive and avoid the folly of becoming the first All-Filipino ruler to miss the playoffs in its title defense since Shell in 2000.

“The guys know the road is tough and has been tough, but it starts with one step,” said Cone, who grappled with the absence of Japeth Aguilar (injury) and Scottie Thompson (health protocols) in their back-to-back losses ending the elims. “That step starts tomorrow (today) with our game against Phoenix.”