All is not over for Barangay Ginebra’s Honda PBA Philippine Cup title defense. And they received an unlikely assist from NorthPort.
Hours after Ginebra’s crushing 66-79 loss to Meralco, the Batang Pier gave the Gin Kings a life vest after its emphatic 122-94 win over also-ran Alaska.
Ginebra, Phoenix, and Terrafirma ended the elimination round with identical 4-7 slates. However, the Dyip held an inferior quotient compared to the Gin Kings (1.0110) and the Fuel Masters (1.0281) that resulted in their elimination.
Ginebra and Phoenix, on the other hand, will figure in a playoff for the eighth spot and the right to face the twice-to-beat TNT (10-1) on Saturday.
Photo by PBA Images
Meanwhile, NorthPort (6-5), who defeated Rain or Shine in the elimination round 91-88, will nab that fifth seed. It will face no. 4 San Miguel (7-4) in a best-of-three quarterfinal.
Photo by PBA Images
Other match-ups for the quarters are twice-to-beat powered no. 2 Meralco (9-2) taking on no. 7 NLEX (5-6); and no. 3 Magnolia (8-3) squaring off against no. 6 Rain or Shine (6-5) in a best-of-three series.
