By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE Alaska Aces and Northport Batang Pier, two teams in the fringes of the playoff picture of the PBA Philippine Cup, engage in a key battle today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With their quarterfinal hopes still hanging in the balance, the Aces (4-6) and Batang Pier (3-6) look to notch an important victory when they collide in the 4:30 p.m. curtain-raiser.
Alaska saw its playoff push stymied when it bowed to the defending champions San Miguel Beermen, 114-96, on Sunday.
A win would have boosted significantly its claim for one of the remaining quarterfinal seats as the elimination round of the season-opening Philippine Basketball Association approaches the end of the line.
Unfortunately for the Aces they could not sustain their good start in their game versus the Beermen, swamped in the third period which proved to be telling as they absorbed the costly defeat and put them in a still-jittery position.
Chris Banchero led Alaska with 22 points with Carl Bryan Cruz adding 13.
Big men Sonny Thoss and Noy Baclao each had 12 points. Jeron Teng, meanwhile, had a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Aces.
Their efforts though were not enough to move them past San Miguel.
Northport, meanwhile, needs to sweep its remaining games in the eliminations of the Philippine Cup to stay in the hunt for a quarterfinal spot.
It succeeded on the first hurdle last Sunday, beating erstwhile streaking TNT KaTropa, 109-83.
The Batang Pier used a fast start and hung tough the rest of the way amid a spirited challenge from TNT, especially in the third quarter, to book the win.
Stanley Pringle led Northport with 27 points and nine rebounds with Sean Anthony adding 14 markers off the bench.
Paolo Taha and Mo Tautuaa had 13 points each while Lervyn Flores finished with a career-high 11 points.
Rookie Robert Bolick, meanwhile, had a near triple-double of eight points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for the Batang Pier.
“Our players recognize our situation of having to win our last three games to at least have a shot at the playoffs. Hopefully we could sustain this kind of effort,” said Northport coach Pido Jarencio following their big win over TNT.
Meanwhile in the main game at 7 p.m., the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings (6-3) look to sustain their steady form and fortify their push for the number three seed heading into the quarterfinals.
They will take on the Meralco Bolts (3-7), who are still hoping to barge into the playoffs despite the odds stacked against them.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR