Today is do-or-die Friday for four teams which will be gunning for a place in the Finals of the 2020 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup.
Phoenix Super LPG takes on TNT Tropang Giga 3:45 p.m. while the Meralco Bolts battle Barangay Ginebra 6:30 p.m., today, November 27 at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena & Cultural Center Powered by Smart 5G.
Winners advance to the championship series while the losers go home.
While Bobby Ray Parks provided the spark in Game 4, other prolific players are expected to step up for TNT in Game 5.
Parks supplied the needed fuel when he took over for TNT in bringing down Phoenix, 102-101, Wednesday evening.
Coach Bong Ravena is upbeat that Jayson Castro, Simon Enciso, and the likes of struggling players Troy Rosario and Poy Erram will be able to step up their game today.
“Hopefully, they can bring their game in Game 5,” said Ravena after the Tropang Giga forced a decisive Game 5.
Ravena took note of the supporting role which Castro and Enciso gave as Parks carried the Tropang Giga with 36 points on 10-for-16 shooting.
“Hindi lang sa offense ang binibigay nila. They can also give on defense. They can contain their man and get a lot of outside shots. Suerte kami sa kanila,” said Ravena.
That evening TNT hit 18-for-46 threes (39.1 percent) in a shootout against Phoenix.
Phoenix, which had just 12 points in the opening quarter, had four less threes but they were a little more accurate (14-for-34, 41.2 percent).
On the other hand, the Meralco Bolts have a chance to enter the All-Filipino finals for the first time in franchise history with a win against Barangay Ginebra.
This was made possible after Reynel Hugnatan scored on clutch baskets that enabled Meralco Bolts to tie their best-of-five semifinals series at two games apiece, with an 83-80 win.
“I’m just happy that the players bounced back from our game three days ago, where we didn’t really play well. They played much better tonight,” said Bolts coach Norman Black.