NORTHPORT pushes drive for a "twice-to-beat" bonus while San Miguel Beer pursues its playoff bid in a critical Tuesday game in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
In dropping their last two games and three of their last five outings, the Batang Pier have dropped from their lofty perch atop the heap and are now in a bottleneck race for the Top Two with five other teams.
Coach Bonnie Tan and his crew are assured of a spot in the Last Eight but are determined to still make a push and unleash a strong finishing kick in the elimination round in their hope to salvage a Top Two windup for a coveted win-once incentive in the quarterfinals.
The first of two remaining assignments that they want to hurdle is the San Miguel Beer side which, for its part, is hoping to recover from a slide and beat Magnolia, NLEX and Phoenix Super LPG in a rumble for the eighth and last spot in the post-elims play.
Three losses in their last four outings sent the Beermen down to a critical spot at eighth at 4-5, just half game ahead of the Hotshots and the Road Warriors both at 4-6. The Fuel Masters are still entertaining some hopes for survival at 3-7.
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And it's a virtual playoff match as the Batang Pier and the Beermen duke it out at 7:30 p.m. in the Antipolo gig.
The Batang Pier (7-3) must arrest their skid to stay with the heavy pack, neck and neck in the race heading to the finish. TNT is at 6-2, Converge at 8-3, Eastern and Meralco both at 7-3, and Rain or Shine at 6-3.
They had had a smooth ride derailed by losses to the Phoenix Fuel Masters, the Meralco Bolts and the ROS Elasto Painters.
"Kailangan makabawi," said Tan whose chargers go for broke in their last two outings versus San Miguel and Blackwater.
For the Beermen, on their path the rest of the elims are the Batang Pier, the FiberXers and the Tropang Giga.(SB)
