Magnolia, TNT shoot for clincher; Meralco, SMB try to forge Game 7

CEBU, Philippines —  The Magnolia Hotshots and the TNT Tropang Giga both gun for championship berths but they must brace for a tough challenge against their respective rivals in Game 6 of the 46th PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinals today (Friday, October 15) at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Magnolia actually enjoyed a commanding 3-1 lead but the Bolts, behind the stellar showing of Allein Maliksi, Nards Pinto, and Chris Newsome, gained a lifeline after edging the Hotshots, 102-98, in Game 5 last Wednesday.

Still ahead three games to two, the Hotshots of coach Chito Victolero will once again try to finish off the Bolts as they take on each other in the 6 p.m. main match.

To achieve their goal, the Hotshots must play with consistency and not flirt with complacency. They led by as much as 11 points, 19-30, only to crumble thereafter and eventually allow the Bolts to live and fight for another day.

Maliksi, who shot a near perfect 7-of-8 from the 3-point land en route to a conference-best 29 points in Meralco’s series-extending triumph, will surely be a marked man for the Bolts, in the same way with Pinto, Newsome and comebacking center Raymond Almazan.

The Hotshots, on the other hand, must draw inspired games from the likes of Ian Sangalang, Paul Lee, Calvin Abueva, and Mark Barroca among others if they want to knock the Bolts out for good.

In the 3 p.m. opener, the Tropang Giga hope to advance to the finals as they lock up horns with the San Miguel Beermen anew.

TNT moved a win away from its target with a 3-2 advantage after trouncing the Beermen,110-90, two nights ago.

Again, the Tropang Giga will heavily depend on explosive rookie Mikey Williams, star center Poy Erram, veteran playmaker Jayson Castro, Kelly Williams, Troy Rosario and the ever reliable Cebuano guard RR Rogoy in their bid for a second straight finals appearance.

For that to happen, TNT must reassert its mastery over the Beermen, who will surely squeeze the most from Cebuano six-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Arwind Santos, Terrence Romeo, Mo Tautuaa, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, and Alex Cabagnot as they attempt to stretch the series to its full seven-game distance.