Survival of fittest

San Miguel Beer and TNT are waiting in the wings to find out which teams they’ll face in the PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinals to start on Wednesday. For TNT, it will be the winner of the Magnolia-NLEX rubber match in the 4:30 p.m. first game of a quarterfinal doubleheader at the MOA Arena today. For San Miguel, it will be the survivor of the Barangay Ginebra-Meralco decider in the 6:30 p.m. second contest.

It didn’t seem like both best-of-three quarterfinal series would go to a Game 3 after Magnolia blasted NLEX, 98-89 and Meralco crushed Ginebra, 93-82, in their openers last Sunday. The Hotshots and Bolts led 80 percent of the way to make it look easy. But in the rematches at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan last Friday, the tables were reversed. Ginebra evened the tie, 94-87 and the Road Warriors led from start to finish in walloping Magnolia, 90-77.

Meralco blew a golden opportunity to send Ginebra packing in Game 2 but the Bolts went down swinging so it won’t be like momentum has totally shifted. Coach Norman Black hasn’t returned from the US where he’s attending to family matters after the death of his mother but assistant Luigi Trillo has held the fort in his absence with support from Ronnie Magsanoc, Gene Afable, Charles Tiu, Patrick Fran and Nenad Vucinic on the bench. If Chris Banchero converted his triple, Meralco would’ve gone ahead, 84-83, with 4:05 left in Game 2. There were 19 lead changes and 10 ties. That’s how close it was.

Meralco’s turnovers tilted the balance as Ginebra scored more points from the errors, 28-14 and had more steals, 14-7, negating the Bolts’ advantage off the boards, 52-43. The net result was Ginebra took five more field goal attempts, 81-76. It was the cushion coach Tim Cone used to survive. Japeth Aguilar scored eight of his 25 points in the fourth period where Scottie Thompson and Stanley Pringle chipped in five apiece. Pringle hasn’t completely recovered from the left meniscus surgery he underwent early this year but delivered a huge three down the stretch. “Stanley came back too early from his rehab and we really haven’t sorted him out yet,” said Cone. “We’re trying different roles – starting, coming off the bench – to jumpstart him. We certainly can’t win without his major contributions.” Pringle sat out 22 games last conference and is now averaging 8.1 points, way below his 16.5 clip the previous season.

Cone said starter Arvin Tolentino, recovering from a shoulder issue, will be back if Ginebra makes it to the semis. Assistant coach Richard del Rosario said Tolentino has resumed some 5-on-5 practice but the staff isn’t rushing him back. Without Tolentino and a 100 percent Pringle, Ginebra will need extra effort from LA Tenorio, Thompson, Aguilar and Standhardinger. Meralco’s chances hinge on wearing out Ginebra with its physical defense, meaning Cliff Hodge, Bong Quinto and Kyle Pascual must tough it up. Meralco hasn’t beaten Ginebra in six playoff series since 2016 and the Bolts could end the skid in Game 3.

NLEX was dominant in turning back Magnolia in Game 2. Kevin Alas broke out of a three-game rest to fire 30 points but it was the Road Warriors’ defense that toppled the Hotshots. Jio Jalalon, Ian Sangalang and Mark Barroca were a combined 9-of-27 from the field to highlight Magnolia’s woes. Coach Chito Victolero piloted Magnolia to the finals of the previous Philippine Cup and he wants another crack at the crown. Coach Yeng Guiao is a win away from leading NLEX to its second straight semifinal appearance. Both do-or-die contests will surely go down to the wire in a bruising fashion.