No 'Spark' but no problem

Barangay Ginebra coach Joseph Uichico said yesterday star guard Mark (The Spark) Caguioa is still undergoing rehab in Los Angeles and won’t be back to play at all in the PBA Fiesta Conference playoffs.

But even as Caguiao languishes in sick bay, the Kings are in position to break into the semifinals. They’ve got two chances to join San Miguel Beer as outright semifinal qualifiers and the first opportunity comes against Alaska at the Araneta Coliseum tonight. If Ginebra wins, the Kings are automatically in the semis with a 9-5 record. If they lose, the Kings face Rain Or Shine in a playoff for the second semis slot on Sunday.

Ginebra is unbeaten with import David Noel in the lineup. The Kings are on a seven-game winning streak and last Wednesday, looked devastating in crushing Coca-Cola, 122-85.

Two games are left in the PBA’s inter-intra schedule. Coca-Cola (5-8) battles safely-in-the-semis San Miguel (11-2) while Ginebra (8-5) takes on Alaska (5-8) in the windup at the Big Dome today. Both games are crucial for three of the four teams. Only the Beermen are in a no-bearing situation.

If the Tigers and Aces win, they clash in a playoff for eighth place on Sunday. If they lose, they will also tangle in a playoff. That’s because with twin wins, they finish with identical 6-8 records and with twin losses, they both end up 5-9.

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Under tournament rules, a playoff will be played only in a tie for second, fourth and eighth spots. That’s because those spots are coveted since there’s a huge handicap difference between second and third, fourth and fifth and eighth and ninth. The second placer earns an outright ticket to the semis while the third placer has to play in the wildcards where it has a twice-to-beat advantage over No. 10. The fourth placer has a twice-to-beat advantage over No. 9 in the wildcards while the fifth placer plays No. 8 in a do-or-die. The eighth placer plays No. 5 in a do-or-die while the ninth placer is in a twice-to-beat disadvantage against No. 4.

If the Tigers win and Alaska loses, then Coca-Cola clinches the No. 8 spot and the Aces drop to No. 9. If the reverse happens, Alaska will move up to No. 8 and Coca-Cola falls to No. 9.

Will San Miguel play footsies with the Tigers and relax? Don’t bet on it. Coach Siot Tanquingcen has been assured of a semis ticket since last week but that hasn’t stemmed his drive. Besides, Chris Williams wants to show off in his second game for San Miguel and a loss to Coca-Cola wouldn’t help his cause. Williams is trying to convince Tanquingcen he deserves to be San Miguel’s import in the playoffs and not Gabe Freeman.

Last Sunday, Tanquingcen reactivated guard Mike Cortez who hadn’t played since suffering an ACL injury in a game against Talk ‘N’ Text during the Philippine Cup last Oct. 17. In all, Cortez sat out 38 straight games before reporting back to duty. Cortez celebrated his return with 11 points in San Miguel’s 92-90 win over Sta. Lucia Realty. With Danny Ildefonso and Cortez back in harness, Tanquingcen has two veterans on whom to rely in the semis. It will be nearly two weeks before San Miguel swings back into action in the semis and the rest will mean healing time for ailing Jay Washington and Dorian Peña. Even without Danny Seigle, Tanquingcen hopes to play a loaded lineup in the semis.

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If Ginebra wins tonight, it advances straight to the semis. The long rest will also mean healing time for Sunday Salvacion (reactivated last Wednesday after sitting out nine games) and Junthy Valenzuela who hasn’t played at all this conference. It’s not likely Valenzuela will be healthy enough to be reactivated for the playoffs.

If Ginebra loses, the Kings will drop to 8-6 and tie Rain Or Shine and Burger King for second place. The tiebreak system will relegate the Whoppers to No. 4 because of a minus-8 point differential. Rain Or Shine (plus-15) and Ginebra (minus-7) will then play off for the second semis slot.

Sta. Lucia, Purefoods and Talk ‘N’ Text are tied for fifth spot with identical 7-7 marks. No playoff will be necessary to break the logjam since there are no handicap differences from fifth to seventh spots. On the basis of point differentials, Sta. Lucia takes the No. 5 spot (plus-7), Purefoods No. 6 (plus-3) and Talk ‘N’ Text No. 7 (minus-10).

That means in the wildcards, No. 4 Burger King will take a twice-to-beat advantage over No. 9, No. 5 Sta. Lucia meets No. 8 (either Alaska or Coca-Cola) in a do-or-die, No. 6 Purefoods faces No. 7 Talk ‘N’ Text in a do-or-die and No. 10 Barako Bull (2-12) battles No. 3 (either Ginebra or Rain Or Shine) with a twice-to-beat disadvantage.

The last day for teams to submit playoff rosters is 12 noon tomorrow. A lineup must list 14 players with 13 allowed to suit up in a game.