Dyip, Batang Pier aim to stay alive
Game today: (Ninoy Aquino Stadium) 7:30 p.m. — NorthPort vs Terrafirma
It’s win or go home as NorthPort and Terrafirma clash one last time for the right to occupy the eighth and last quarterfinals berth in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Batang Pier and the Dyip mix it up in the scheduled 7:30 p.m. playoff to advance into the next round.
Survivor of what is expected to be a tight fight for survival will claim the last ticket to the playoffs in a collision course with top seed and twice-to-beat San Miguel Beer.
The sudden death became necessary after both teams ended the elimination round with identical 5-6 win-loss record at eighth to ninth spot.
NorthPort staved off elimination after ending a five-game losing skid with a crucial win over Blackwater last 27 April.
Arvin Tolentino, who has been carrying most of the Batang Pier’s scoring load, gave his team a new lease on life after nailing the game-winning shot to beat Bossing, 115-113, which put them in a good position to force a playoff.
NorthPort patiently waited for two weeks for a final crack at the quarters.
The Batang Pier’s prayers were answered by Magnolia when it denied Terrafirma an outright quarters seat in a 108-100 victory last Friday.
But the Dyip, despite coming off a loss, have NorthPort’s number in the all-Filipino Conference.
Stephen Holt was the hero in Terrafirma’s 110-108 escape over the Batang Pier last 24 April, nailing the go-ahead jumper before the Dyip made a good defensive stop that denied Tolentino a chance to equalize and send the game into overtime.
It was Terrafirma’s first win over NorthPort in eight meetings in the last four years.
“We just need to play good defense (to advance). There’s no off night on defense,” head coach Johnedel Cardel said of the key for the Dyip to climb up the next round.