Forget about their current struggles outside the Top Four.
PBA Governors Cup titleholder Magnolia Pambansang Manok and former two-time titlist Barangay Ginebra are expected to be at their best as they clash in another chapter of their Manila Clasico rivalry at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
Tip-off is at 6:45 p.m., and both are tipped to be at their Sunday's best as they set out for battle, each side looking to ignite a rally to make the Top Four at the end of the one-round-robin elims phase for a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.
Of course, the immediate goal is book a berth in the Final Eight.
"Manila Clasico is always a huge battle for us. There's a different buzz in the air as the Clasico approaches," said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.
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"Although, it's early in the conference, there are a lot of ramifications in the standings that bring added pressure. We know each other so well; they know who they have to stop to win, and we know the same. It's always exciting when we meet. Needless to say, we're looking forward to the challenge," Cone added.
For Magnolia, a cause for concern is the readiness of import Romeo Travis.
But the Hotshots showed in their last game that they can put up a fight even with an all-Filipino crew as they barely lost to the Blackwater Elite, 89-95, on Wednesday.
They were also in the fight up to the final moment in their 89-90 loss to San Miguel Beer where Travis sustained his ankle sprain.
It's been over a week, and Travis may already be so eager to plunge back into action to help the Hotshots get back on track.
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They now languish at joint fifth with the Columbian Dyip at 3-3, but still ahead of the Kings who are now at 2-2 after winning their last outing verus the Beermen, 129-124, last week.
Ginebra actually faced the specter of a repeat of its sorry Dubai defeat but survived, salvaging the five-point victory largely behind the efforts of Justin Brownlee, Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio and Stanley Pringle in the clutch.
The Kings nearly blew away a big 18-point spread but toughened up in the end to hand the Beermen their first loss, and thus leave the TNT KaTropa as the lone unbeaten team in the season-ending tourney.(SB)
