Games today:

(Philsports Arena)

4 p.m. — Phoenix vs Meralco

8 p.m. — Magnolia vs TNT

The fight for survival is on as TNT Tropang Giga seeks to live another day and force a sudden-death showdown with topseed Magnolia in the quarterfinals of the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner's Cup today at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Action fires off at 8 p.m. with the Tropang Giga looking to sustain the momentum they gained after securing the eighth and last quarterfinal berth following a masterful 116-96 victory over Phoenix Super LPG over the weekend.

With the loss, the Fuel Masters fell all the way to the fourth spot and will have to get rid of dangerous Meralco in the first game at 4 p.m. to advance to the next round.

Magnolia, San Miguel Beer, Barangay Ginebra and Phoenix are armed with twice-to-beat incentives over TNT Tropang Giga, Rain or Shine, NorthPort and Meralco, respectively, after bagging the top four spots in the elimination round.

But the wounded Tropang Giga will be trekking a very dangerous road against a Hotshots squad that is nothing but consistent all throughout the tournament.

In its previous triumph over Phoenix, TNT was left without a choice but to field a pair of ailing players just to secure its slot in the quarterfinals.

Jayson Castro, who's been bothered by tendinitis, played on minutes restriction, while Roger Pogoy returned after nearly eight months of inactivity since being diagnosed with a heart condition.

Still, these old warriors showed up and delivered a memorable performance to lift the Tropang Giga to the playoffs.

Against the Hotshots, the Tropang Giga will need more than that as everybody — from the local players like Calvin Oftana to import Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson — have to step up to essay a massive upset.