Christmas ‘Clasico’ unfolds

MANILA, Philippines — The time has come for the first “Manila Clasico” gig of the PBA’s Season 49 hostilities.

And it couldn’t have chosen a more colorful setting than Christmas – the merriest day for basketball-crazy Filipinos.

Sister teams but fierce rivals Barangay Ginebra (3-2) and Magnolia (2-4) rekindle their storied rivalry today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, both intent on giving their Commissioner’s Cup bids a big boost.

The “Clasico” rivals didn’t get to face off in the season-opening Governors’ Cup as they vied in separate brackets under the group format play implemented in the season-opening conference and didn’t cross paths in the playoffs.

Their last showdown was last May 11 in the quarterfinals of the Season 48 Philippine Cup, where the twice-to-beat No. 2 seeds Gin Kings made short work of the seventh-ranked Hotshots, 99-77.

Game time for the “Christmas Clasico 2024” is at 7:30 p.m. following another explosive tiff between reigning Philippine Cup titlist Meralco (2-1) and streaking Converge (5-2) at 5 p.m.

“Always tough playing on Christmas Day with all the distractions. But it’s always an honor playing the ‘Manila Clasico’ and even more so, playing it on Christmas Day,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone told The STAR.

“We both need a win so it should be exciting,” he added.

Ginebra is aiming to pick itself up after blowing a 17-point lead and conceding a 91-98 defeat to the FiberXers last Saturday in Batangas City.

For its part, Magnolia is looking to add more grease to its turnaround goals on the heels of Friday’s 99-95 overtime win over NLEX that ended a harrowing four-game skid.

“We got to have like a playoff mindset, like a win-or-go home mentality because we dug ourselves in a pretty deep hole (with the four consecutive losses),” said Magnolia import Ricardo Ratliffe, who is actually playing his first “Clasico” after missing the rivalry game in his two previous stints with the Hotshots.

“Hopefully, (after getting over the hump against NLEX), we can use this momentum and get a winning streak going and get some confidence.”

Meanwhile, the FiberXers are hunting for their fourth straight W and eyeing to add another big fish in the Bolts, who are coming off a 98-114 setback to Blackwater in their last gig back on Dec. 12.