PBA@37: The PhilCup Stretch - scenarios, quotients and what else to expect

PBA@37: The PhilCup Stretch - scenarios, quotients and what else to expect
By MAGOO MARJON December 6, 2011 7:34am

With just six games over three gamedays remaining in the elimination round of the Philippine Cup, there are only two certainties that have been figured out: Shopinas is out of the playoff picture and Alaska has failed to advance to the next round for only the third time since 1998.

The top two teams after the 11th of December will carry a twice-to-beat advantage into the quarterfinals where they will be pitted against teams who will end up at the seventh and eighth positions. As of this writing, only the defending champion Talk N’ Text TropangTexters (9-3), Petron Blaze Boosters (9-4) and BMegLlamados (9-4) have a shot at getting to 10 wins with just one game remaining each on their schedule. TnT and Petron face each other on Tuesday, December 6 while the Llamados take on winless Shopinas on Thursday, December 8. It might be safe to say that it’ll be either TnT or PBB who will fall to number 3 (but who knows?).

The Plot Thickens

Even more interesting battles are set to take place in the middle of the pack as those teams look to avoid falling into the seventh and eighth positions which carries with it a twice-to-win disadvantage.

Powerade (6-8) takes on Barako Bull Energy (6-6) on Tuesday for their last
assignment. The Tigers try to avoid becoming the eighth seed which will pit them against the top seed (either TnT, PBB or BML) and having to beat them twice in a row to make it to the semis.

The Energy then round up their schedule against the streaking Barangay Ginebra Kings (7-5) on Thursday in what might be the most crucial match of their respective campaigns. Rain or Shine (8-5) on the other hand takes on Alaska in the penultimate game of the elims on Sunday.

Quotient

Per the tournament format, only ties at the second and eighth spots are to be broken via playoff game. It looks like it will not come to play for this tournament. The crucial position being battled out is the race for at least the sixth spot.

There will be no playoff for a tie at sixth. The PBA quotient system will be used to determine who will get into a best-of-three series against the third seed, and who gets relegated to the seventh spot.

The three top teams have all beaten RoS, so even if the Elastopainters beat the Aces
to close their campaign at 9-5, they will still have to settle for a fourth place finish and will go up against the fifth seed in a best-of-three affair.

Epic Battle

Whether or not the very last elimination round game on Sunday, December 11 will matter in the rankings or otherwise, it still promises to be one of the most explosive collisions. Talk N’ Text will battle it out with Barangay Ginebra at the Big Dome and unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that’s gonna be a good one.

Eight teams go into the last week of the regular schedule already looking at the nextphase of battle. What happens in these three gamedays will determine their chances of advancing to beyond. Not one of these organizations will entertain any room for a letdown. Even the two already eliminated teams are still expected to go all-out. Shopinas will still be shooting for that ever-elusive first franchise win, while the Aces will just want to save face and go into their off season with a bang! - OMG, GMA News




Source: GMANEWS.TV

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