Three teams press bid for quarters

For some teams, it could be a lost weekend.

There are indications the mad scramble for the second and last outright quarterfinals berth in the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Conference won’t be settled at the end of the double-round preliminaries today and tomorrow.

Talk n Text seized the solo second place after a closing three-game romp but three teams in Red Bull Barako, Alaska Milk and Coca-Cola could force a tie after the weekend battles at the Philsports Arena today and at the Araneta Coliseum tomorrow.

Thus, chances are a playoff game on Wednesday will decide which team will join San Miguel Beer in earning outright berths into the quarters.

Alaska will try to catch Talk n Text at second place in the Aces’ 6:30 p.m. tiff with the Barangay Ginebra Kings today. Coca-Cola and Red Bull Barako take their turns versus Shell and San Miguel Beer, respectively, in the closing twinbill of the prelims tomorrow.

Talk n Text will be rooting for the rivals of Alaska, Red Bull and Coca-Cola since in the event of ties, the Phones Pals would be eased out of the playoff for the coveted slot because of an inferior quotient.

In a logjam among the four teams, Alaska and Red Bull knock it out for No. 2 while Coca-Cola and Talk n Text will clash for No. 4 slot. This is on the strength of the Aces’ plus-32 point-differential, the Thunder’s plus-10, the Tigers’ minus-18 and the Phone Pals’ minus-24.

The Phone Pals could have the No. 2 slot in a silver platter if the Aces, the Thunder and the Tigers all lose their final assignments.

In today’s other game pitting Purefoods and FedEx, it’s a fight for a flight out of the cellar since the two teams sport identical 4-13 win-loss records entering their 4:10 p.m. setto.

For Ginebra and Shell, what is at stake in their games against Alaska and Coca-Cola is a better seeding in the two one-game knockout tussles in the wildcard plays. The two teams are currently tied at seventh with the identical 7-10 cards, half-game behind Sta. Lucia Realty at 8-10.

It will be the No. 5 team versus No. 8 and No. 6 against No. 7 in the post-prelims matches.

Fresh from a weeklong rest and riding the crest of a big blowout of the Tigers the last time out, the Aces are fancied to beat the Kings who are on a two-game slump minus injured Romel Adducul.