MANAMA, Bahrain – Ginebra and Magnolia enjoyed being the center of attention since the Philippine Basketball Association arrived here over the weekend to hold official games in this kingdom for the first time ever.
That comes with the territory as two of the league’s most popular ball clubs whose fans transcend generations, but not to be forgotten is Rain or Shine, which is actually being monitored closely by observers as well.
The Elasto Painters currently share the no. 1 spot in the Season 50 Philippine Cup standings, and their upcoming matches against the perennial contenders could define their placing in the quarterfinals.
Tied with San Miguel Beer at 7-2, Coach Yeng Guiao and his wards simply need to win one of their two games at the Khalifa Sports City to guarantee themselves a top-four finish, which merits a twice-to-beat advantage in the last eight.
(C) PBA Images
“We cannot let the momentum die out. Kung ano ‘yung pwede naming ipanalo, ipapanalo namin … We want to give a good show in Bahrain,” said the champion mentor, who’s part of the PBA’s out-of-the-country gig for a fifth time.
Rain or Shine will commence the league’s Bahrain games later tonight at 6:55 PM local time (11:55 PM Manila time) against the 6-3 Magnolia.
And if it manages to handle business versus the Hotshots, the crew will be assured of a top two finish, according to league stats chief Fidel Mangonon III — something that they haven’t accomplished since the 2019 Philippine Cup.
Should they not be able to, another chance to clinch a win-once QF incentive lies ahead when the Elasto Painters battle the Kings on Wednesday.
Among the three, the crowd darlings are without question the most desperate to get as many wins as they can. They’re only now catching up after a rocky start in which they won just twice in their first six games.
But they’re the hottest of the teams in here. They’re in the midst of a three-game winning streak, and taking down Rain or Shine should not only keep their quarterfinal hopes alive but also revive their top-four aspirations.
(C) PBA Images
Given these possible scenarios, Bahrain has some thrilling matches ahead, which should bode well for a country that’s only the second to willingly host back-to-back PBA games on its own turf after Dubai.
It is, furthermore, the sixth country to host official games of Asia’s first pro basketball league after Indonesia, Hong Kong, Guam, Dubai, and Singapore.
In close cooperation with the Bahrain Basketball Association, the PBA games are part of the nation’s 54th Independence Day celebration on December 16.
