Games on Wednesday
(Ynares Center-Antipolo)
5:15 p.m. – Meralco vs TNT (Semis Game 1)
7:30 p.m. – Ginebra vs Rain or Shine (Semis Game 1)

THIS isn’t like the previous quarterfinal stage, where there was a built-in win-once edge, or in TNT’s case, twice-to-win disadvantage.

So it’s up to the protagonists in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals to try and get any advantage they could in what looms as a potential war of attrition.

And as the final four kicks off on Wednesday, the most immediate goal would be to gain a 1-0 upper hand in the race-to-four and possibly set the right tone for the rest of the proceedings.

The eighth-seeded defending champion Tropang 5G, fresh from their two-game reversal over top seed NLEX, and No. 4 Meralco, who survived a sudden death against No. 5 Magnolia, dispute the opening lead in their tiff at 5:15 p.m. at the Ynares Center-Antipolo.

No. 2 Barangay Ginebra and No. 3 Rain or Shine (ROS), two teams aching to end years of heartaches, seek the same when they fire the first shot in their side of the draw at 7:30 p.m.

It’s not facing a do-or-die situation like last time in the quarters but just the same, Bol Bol-led TNT doesn’t feel any less threatened.

“As a complete team, they’re playing at a very high level,” Tropang 5G coach Chot Reyes said of Meralco, recalling how the latter bamboozled his troops in the elims, 108-99.

“They have so many offensive weapons that it’s incumbent upon us to defend well and rebound. They’re also one of the more physical teams and you see how teams are playing Bol so we have to be able to cope with that and play through that. They’re very well coached, too, so yeah, we have our work cut out for us.”

The two sister teams but fierce rivals from the MVP Group contest a finals seat for the second straight conference. TNT beat Meralco in the same stage in the preceding Philippine Cup, 4-1, but the Bolts feel they can compete better this time.

“Obviously, they are deserving to make the finals and they are hard to beat in a seven-game series. But with the way we are playing we deserve to be there, too,” said mentor Luigi Trillo.

Import Marvin Jones and Cliff Hodge are expected to get the main load of defending against Mr. Bol while Chris Newsome, CJ Cansino, Chris Banchero, Jason Brickman and Bong Quinto handle the business against TNT locals like Calvin Oftana, RR Pogoy and Jayson Castro.

“The longer the series lasts, we now have the depth to match up with their guards,” said Mr. Trillo.

Meanwhile, Tim Cone and the Gin Kings brace for war against ROS’ Yeng Guiao and his speedsters.

“We know how hard it is to go up against Yeng Guiao and his teams. They play the game extremely hard and extremely fast and they compete all the time. They can wear you down in a seven-game series because of their deep bench and who they go to,” said Mr. Cone.

The Gin Kings also hope the five-day break gave Justin Brownlee enough recovery time after sustaining “a little tweak” on his hamstring during their 112-81 clincher over Phoenix. — Olmin Leyba

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