Beermen shoot for top 4 berth

MANILA, Philippines — Things are looking good for San Miguel Beer as it zeroes in on a coveted incentive in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals in its elims windup today against also-ran Blackwater.

By now, replacement import Bennie Boatwright should be right at home with the locals, with whom he has collaborated for half of the current four-game streak of SMB (7-3).

Boatwright, who debuted last Christmas Day, delivered a 51-point scorcher in their 132-110 thrashing of Terrafirma last Sunday and is tipped to carry the big guns in their bid for a Top 4 seeding and win-once bonus against the skidding Bossing (1-9) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“This team has had high accolades over the past years and I’m excited to be a part of it and make a run at the playoffs,” said the former USC Trojans standout.

He won’t be alone, of course, as SMB boasts a topnotch local crew led by CJ Perez, Don Trollano, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter and Mo Tautuaa that can shoot the lights out themselves.

And then there’s more. Pending medical clearance, seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo may make his comeback in the 4 p.m. duel with Blackwater. Fajardo missed the last six games due to a fractured hand.

A win by coach Jorge Gallent’s troops puts them at 8-3 with a guaranteed twice-to-beat advantage in the quarters alongside No. 1 Magnolia (9-2) and Top 4-assured Phoenix (8-2). A loss will complicate things with Ginebra (7-3) and Meralco (7-3) threatening to take their eighth victories against separate foes.

The Bolts gun for No. 8 in the second game against another eliminated squad in Dyip (2-8).

Even if successful, however, the charges of Luigi Trillo will need either SMB or Ginebra to drop their last elims assignments against Blackwater and NLEX, respectively, and get stuck at seven wins to salvage a Top 4 position. This is due to Meralco’s inferior quotient.

versus the Beermen and the Gin Kings if it comes to a tiebreaker for the remaining prime slots.

“We beat Terrafirma and we’ll wait and see. It’s still out there. We still have a chance if Ginebra or San Miguel loses,” said Trillo.

The situation could have been a lot different for Meralco had it not bungled its shot at the incentive in an 83-93 loss to Phoenix last Wednesday.

“Sayang. But at this point, we can’t cry over spilled milk. Move on the kami versus Terrafirma,” saud Trillo.