The 2020 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup semifinals are set for a frenetic finish as the two series were stretched to a do-or-die Game 5 at the AUF Sports Arena and Cultural Center in Pampanga today.
Taking the floor first at 3:45 p.m. are Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters and TNT Tropang Giga followed by a match between Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings and Meralco Bolts at 6:30 p.m.
The Tropang Giga lived to fight another day following a close 102-101 Game 4 escape over the Fuel Masters on Wednesday evening behind the 36-point outing of Bobby Ray Parks Jr. and support from Jayson Castro, Roger Pogoy and Simon Enciso.
“Our main goal is to just simply win the game, make the series even so we had to come out with our strongest starter na si Jayson,” said Tropang Giga head coach Bong Ravena. “Hopefully, we could continue with it in Game 5 on Friday.”
TNT’s sister team Bolts also did the same the other night as they pulled off a come-from-behind 83-80 win over the Kings on late hits by Bacolodnon Reynel Hugnatan and Chris Newsome a game-saving block by Raymond Almazan on Ginebra’s Stanley Pringle.
“The challenge going to the next game is to be a little ahead of them. So far, we’ve always been reacting,” said Bolts head coach Norman Black. “Just like in our battle with San Miguel (Beermen), we have to win two games to move to the next stage. We’re halfway through.”
The winner of the two do-or-die semifinals matches will face off in the best-of-seven titular showdown, which is tentatively scheduled on Sunday evening.
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United City Football Club proved that even the change of the team management will not stop them from dominating in the Philippines Football League after recently securing the 2020 season’s championship.
Spanish striker Bienvenido Marañon said he is glad that the United City FC have retained the services of majority of the players from Ceres-Negros FC as they were able to maintain their PFL title as well as sealing a spot in the 2021 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.
“It is good that even if we changed management we are still the best team in the Philippines and we showed it again today,” said Marañon, who scored a hat trick in a title-clinching 7-1 win over Stallion Laguna FC.
“Earning a spot to the 2021 AFC Champions League was an icing on the cake but now we will have a chance in playing strong clubs from China, Japan, Korea which we all look forward to,” he added.
United City FC head coach Frank Muescan, for his part, said he was thankful that the players have accepted him as their new coach after the franchise’s former mentor Risto Vidakovic failed to come to terms with the new team management.
“Ang kagandahan is that I’ve been with them for the last four years. They know me and accepted me so the respect was swift,” said Muescan, who hails from Victorias City, Negros Occidental.
The United City FC ended their campaign with 12 points, only dropping a match against the Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo./PN
