Wild and wooly race looms in PBA Governors' Cup
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 27 Sep 2018
Slowly, but surely, the chart is turning true to form with defending champion Barangay Ginebra inching closer to the leaders along with other favorites Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok in the on-going PBA Governor?s Cup.
The idle Phoenix Fuel Masters wrested the top spot from erstwhile No. 1 Bkackwater Elite, thanks to the NLEX Road Warriors? 124-106 overwhelming of coach Bong Ramos? men on Wednesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
That win of coach Yeng Guiao?s Road Warriors cut short the Elite?s four-game winning streak, the best for the Dioseldo Sy-owned franchise since buying into the pro-league in 2014, while in the process catapulting the Fuel Masters of coach Louis Alas to the driver?s seat of the12-team field.
It?s still a long way to go in the elimination round, but the Fuel Masters? present 5-1 win-loss slate augurs well in their bid for a slot in the eight-team quarterfinal phase.
Guiao, the recipient of a rousing welcome from his Road Warriors following his modest stint in the Asian Games and the World Cup Asian qualifying, and his boys, likewise, improved to sixth in the standing with 4-2, a notch behind Hotshots, whose 3-1 card tied them in fourth and fifth place with another idle squad Alaska.
Coach Chito Victolero and his Hothots, meanwhile, dealt the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters the later?s second loss in as many outings, 92-76, in what further sent the race for a seat in the next round wild and wooly.
NLEX triumph benefited, too, the title-defending Barangay Ginebra which going into its Saturday?s our-of-town date with Phoenix, carries a second-running 4-1 card in a tie with Blackwater.
Tournament format calls for the top eight teams for the elimination round making it into the quarterfinal round with the first four enjoying the privilege of having to win only once against the teams made up of lower half of the round of eight.
A sixth win is seen as guarantee to earn a berth in the quarters or a least a playoff for one. Eight wins, according to oddmakers, assure a twice-to-beat edge.
Thus, the two lowest teams based on their win-loss records will be eliminated outright for further contention.
Three teams showed at least victory each going halfway through the qualifying with San Miguel Beer, thwarted anew its bid for a grandslam, following NLEX in the standing with an even 2-2; Talk ?NText (3-4) and Meralco (1-3).
Winless, so far beside the Elasto Painters are NorthPort Batang Pier (0-5) and Columbian Dyip (06), making them the prime candidates for an early vacation.
NLEX?s old guard Larry Fonacier top scored for his team matching import Aaroin Fuller?s 24 points , his highest output while wearing the Warriors? uniform and his finest showing in the last five years.
"We lost. We couldn't connect. I think this is what they call law of averages,? Ramos cold only murmur on Blackwater?s meeting its match in the Road Warriors.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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