FiberXers eye solid connection to twice-to-beat quarterfinals edge

Games Friday

(Ynares Sports Center, Antipolo)

5 p.m. – Phoenix vs TNT

7:30 p.m. – San Miguel vs Converge

MANILA, Philippines — Nothing is cast in stone owing to the logjam atop of the standings but Converge wants a strong finishing kick to bolster its twice-to-beat bid against San Miguel in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Friday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.

The FiberXers currently sit at second spot with an 8-3 slate and could momentarily snatch the No. 1 seed from NorthPort (8-3) with a win in the much-needed main game at 7:30 p.m. against the Beermen.

With only the Top Two teams gaining win-once incentives in the quarterfinals, Converge definitely wants to stay in the picture to end its campaign – especially with the third to seventh-ranked teams still in contention.

Lurking behind are Meralco (7-3), Eastern (7-3), TNT (6-3), Ginebra (7-4) and Rain or Shine (6-4) – making it a seven-way race to the top that puts an immense pressure to the FiberXers to hold ground against the Beermen, who for their part, fight for survival.

TNT, meanwhile, tries to shrug off a stinging 117-108 defeat to Terrafirma that snapped its six-game spree, against also-ran Phoenix (3-8) at 5 p.m of the crucial double-header.

“Lahat ng teams gusto ‘yung ganoong incentive but for us, we take care of the present which is SMB. Kasi kahit manalo kami, may bearing pa ‘yung ibang games,” said coach Franco Atienza.

“Ayaw naming dumating sa point na we didn’t take care of something we could have taken care of. That’s our approach. Kung palarin sa twice-to-beat, we would welcome that.”

The FiberXers will have the momentum of a two-game winning streak to ride on in order to fulfill the mission albeit without ace anchor Justin Arana following a possible knee injury in their 127-109 victory against Blackwater last weekend.

Sans Arana, top rookie draft pick Justin Baltazar will carry more responsibility down low as he gears up for his first-ever duel against the eight-time PBA Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo, who’s out to keep the Beermen afloat.

“Magiging ready lang ako. Alam naman natin si kuya June Mar kung gaano ka-dominante sa ilalim. Kung anong game plan nila coach, pagta-trabahuhan namin at paghahandaan namin,” said Baltazar, slowly but surely coming into fine form after a rough start in his PBA debut.

Joining Baltazar in an attempt to stop Fajardo is import Cheick Diallo as Jordan Heading, Schonny Winston and Alec Stockton man the backcourt.

The Beermen, meanwhile, will need more than just Fajardo to snap a two-game slump that dragged them to a sudden tie with Magnolia and NLEX for the eighth and final playoff spot, bearing similar 4-6 slates.

SMB’s biggest loss was a 105-104 stunner from NorthPort last weekend following Kadeem Jack’s game-winner as its newest import Malik Pope struggled for points anew.

CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Don Trollano, Mo Tautuaa, Jericho Cruz and Juami Tiongson will have big shoes to fill to compensate for Pope’s dismal showing as the troops of coach Leo Austria seeks to stay in the thick of the playoff race.