AFTER failing to get the job done last Wednesday, Phoenix Super LPG will go all out in securing the fourth and last semifinal slot when it faces Meralco in a no-tomorrow game in their PBA Season 48 Commissioner's Cup quarterfinal today, Sunday, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The much-awaited rubber match is slated at 6:30 p.m.
The Fuel Masters entered the opening round of the playoffs as the fourth seed, enjoying a twice-to-beat edge.
They held a 15-point lead in the first half, but the Bolts didn't just roll and die as they fought back from a double-digit deficit.
Chris Newsome sent the game into overtime after burying a triple in the dying seconds, while Bong Quinto rose to the occasion with timely baskets from there to lift Meralco to a heart-stopping 116-107 triple-overtime win, sending their quarterfinal to a sudden death.
Still, knowing the maturity the boys of coach Jamike Jarin have shown during the conference, Phoenix is expected to come out with greater aggressiveness in an effort to secure a first semifinal appearance since the franchise last did the trick during the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup under then coach Louie Alas.
A win by either side will mean advancing to the best-of-five semifinal series, where Magnolia, the playoff's top seed, is waiting in the wings.
The two other San Miguel Corp.-owned squads, San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra, already sealed the second and third spots in the semifinals after beating Rain or Shine and NorthPort in their respective quarterfinal matches on Friday.
"It's going to be a hard game. It's a quality basketball; both two good teams. We're going to duke it out," said Trillo of their rubber match.
Meralco's veteran forward Cliff Hodge is a game-time decision after hurting his ankle late in the game.
"It was accidental. He (Hodge) jumped, and I think he stepped on the foot of another player. But that's part of the game," shared Trillo, who nonetheless is ready to go to war with his remaining frontline players led by Raymond Almazan and rookie Brandon Bates as well as backup big Kyle Pascual.
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