Magnolia and Meralco slug it out in a deadlock-breaker Sunday, with each side determined to stay within striking distance of the leaders entering the homestretch of the PBA Governors' Cup eliminations.
Tied at sixth place at 4-3, the Hotshots and the Bolts break the logjam in their 6:45 p.m. tussle at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
One team does stay right behind the frontrunners while the other essentially bows out of the race for the Top 4 which will carry a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
The Hotshots have charged into the race on their amazing turnaround from a 0-3 tournament start, going 4-0 with import sub Antonio Hester.
The Bolts, meanwhile, have been on an up-and-down ride, catching up with the Hotshots with a 114-98 win over the Road Warriors in their last outing Thursday.
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KJ McDaniels collected 31 points and 21 rebounds while Allein Maliksi fired away 19 to lead a concerted effort by the Bolts in snapping a two-game skid vs the Road Warriors.
"Those back-to-back (losses) were to San Miguel and TNT. We wanted to beat them but they're the two best teams in the league right now," Meralco coach Norman Black.
"I thought we just played better (in the NLEX match). We got a good game from KJ, which we didn't get for the last couple of games. He had 30-20. If he can give us that type of performance then we would have a chance of betting the opponents," Black added.
The amiable Meralco mentor is confident if they can be more consistent on doing what they need to do, they'll have a chance of a good finish in the elims.
"We just got to keep it up. Except for a few teams that are pulling away, everybody else is really tooth and nail trying to make the playoffs," said Black.
"We're one of those teams right now. We're in the middle of the pack but we had played the teams above us so we do have a chance of possibly moving up in the standings," he added.
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The Hotshots, meanwhile, hope to press on and sustain their searing drive.
"Stay positive lang kami, we try to handle things positively and make sure to learn from our mistakes," said coach Chito Victolero.
"When we feel good, doon nagsisimulang maging complacent at iyon ang lagi naming reminder. The mindset should be to work hard and battle for each possession," he added. (SB)
