Sunday thriller

by **Ginebra Tambayan** Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:10 am

Sunday thriller
By WAYLON GALVEZ
December 9, 2011, 10:11pm

Games Sunday (Smart-Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Alaska

6:30 p.m. – Ginebra vs Talk ’N Text

MANILA, Philippines — Now that the quarterfinal cast is already complete and the twice-to-beat bonuses already taken, the only question left unanswered is which team meets which team in the playoffs.

That question, however, will be settled tomorrow when defending champion Talk ’N Text battles Barangay Ginebra while Rain or Shine takes Alaska at the end of the elimination round of the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Texters and the B-Meg Llamados have already claimed the twice-to-beat incentives in the quarters being assured of finishing with the best two records after the elimination phase.

Whoever will emerge No. 1 between TNT and B-Meg will face the No. 8 qualifier while the second-ranked team collides with the No. 7 team.

The other pairings will pit the No. 3 against the No. 6 while the No. 4 goes up against the No. 5.

TNT clinched the first twice-to-beat advantage when it won over Petron Blaze (80-78) last week that improved its record to 10-3. B-Meg took the second twice-to-beat with an 86-74 win over newcomer Shopinas.com, 86-74, Thursday night.

Talk ’N Text could emerge as the No. 1 team if it beats Ginebra, but if the Texters lose to the Kings, the Llamados (10-4) will snatch the No. 1 spot on account of their superior quotient.

TNT won its first meeting with B-Meg, 96-94, last Oct. 21, but the Llamados avenged that by beating the Texters, 114-104, last Nov. 29.

The opponents of TNT and B-Meg will either be Barako Bull or Powerade, the No. 7 and 8 teams with similar 6-8 cards after the eliminations.

Playing in the best-of-three showdown are Petron Blaze (9-5), Ginebra (8-5), Rain or Shine (8-5) and Meralco (8-6), although their seeding will depend also on the pair of games tomorrow as the Kings, the Elasto Painters and Bolts can finish in a three-way tie.

Source: The Manila Bulletin