Ginebra battles surging TNT

Games today:

(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)

5 p.m. — Blackwater vs Terrafirma

7:30 p.m. — Barangay Ginebra vs TNT

Grand slam-seeking TNT and Barangay Ginebra rekindle their rivalry in a marquee matchup that could determine their fate in the chase for a quarterfinals twice-to-beat advantage in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Tied with 6-3 win-loss records, the protagonists of the season’s first two conference finals battle at 7:30 p.m.

The Tropang 5G are on a hot six-game run after a flat 0-3 start.

TNT breezed past also-ran Blackwater, 108-82, last Friday to prime up for a litmus test against the Kings.

“We talked about how winning (our last game) will give us a chance (for the Top Four). All we’re asking for is a chance,” TNT coach Chot Reyes.

“Now we have a chance but we all know how difficult that road is going to be. We’ll see what happens.”

Ginebra is also determined to make good use of its opportunity to secure a playoffs incentive.

The Kings are coming off a morale-boosting, 85-81, victory over Magnolia in the Manila Clasico last Sunday.

“We were playing for our playoff lives in that game. We put up a couple of losses together. It would’ve been tough to get back into the hunt for the Top Four,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone said.

“But this keeps us firmly in the hunt, still allows us to control our destiny.”

Meanwhile, Terrafirma aims to arrest a nine-game slide and finish its season with a victory over Blackwater in the curtain-raiser at 5 p.m.

Mark Escarlote

The Dyip are merely trying to finish the season-ending conference the way they started it, with a win, and close out their campaign with a record better than their current 1-9 slate.

For their part, the Bossing are sitting on a 1-8 card which they hope to jack with wins over Terrafirma and Phoenix on 13 June.