Magnolia shoots for playoff berth

Games today:

(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)

5 p.m. — Phoenix vs NLEX

7:30 p.m. — NorthPort vs Magnolia

Magnolia aims to complete the playoffs cast in Group A against a handicapped NorthPort side trying to stay alive in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Hotshots have a huge advantage in firepower as the Batang Pier will be forced to play sans injured reinforcement Venky Jois and without an immediate replacement in an all-important 7:30 p.m. clash.

This leaves an opening for Magnolia, which sports an even 4-4 win-loss record, to get back on the winning track and finally land a spot in the crossover quarterfinals along with defending champion TNT (7-1), Meralco (6-3) and Converge (5-4).

Without Jois, who is set to undergo surgery on his torn right Achilles on Friday, the Hotshots are favored to make a repeat of their 105-94 victory in their first meeting last 4 September.

Incidentally, Jois was also sidelined by an injury in their first-round match.

The Hotshots are looking to bounce back from a sorry 82-84 loss to the Tropang Giga last Tuesday.

NorthPort, on the other hand, needs to find a way to snap out of a two-game slide with an all-Filipino roster or it will be off to an early vacation.

The Batang Pier got pushed on the brink of elimination after absorbing a 99-107 loss to the FiberXers before bowing down to Meralco, 104-114, last Saturday in the game where Jois went down with an injury.

It will now be up to Arvin Tolentino, Joshua Munzon, Will Navarro and veteran former Magnolia guard Jio Jalalon to stand their ground against the Hotshots assault led by Shabazz Muhammad, Paul Lee, Jerick Ahanmisi, Zav Lucero and Mark Barroca.

Meanwhile, skidding NLEX tries to steer itself back on the right track in its 5 p.m. Group B showdown against also-ran spoiler Phoenix.

Carrying a 3-5 slate tied with Blackwater, the Road Warriors look to regain control of their playoffs bid with just two games left in the eliminations. NLEX plays quarters-bound Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on Sunday.

San Miguel Beer (6-2), Rain or Shine (6-2) and the Gin Kings (6-3) occupy the first three quarters berths.

Road Warriors replacement import DeQuan Jones had an impressive debut of 49 points and 11 rebounds in a 114-123 overtime to the Elasto Painters last Tuesday.