With Phoenix Super LPG beating Meralco, San Miguel Beer got a free ride to the top four in the quarterfinals of the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup.
Now, the Beermen were left with one more crucial mission: Flaunt their might by ending their elimination round campaign on a winning note.
San Miguel will try to gain the confidence needed for the tough grind in the playoffs when it collides with listless Blackwater today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Game time is at 4 p.m. with the Beermen looking to shut down the eliminations on a high note regardless of whether they end up at No. 2 or No. 3 in the quarterfinals of the season-opening conference.
In the second game at 8 p.m., the Bolts will face another also-ran squad in Terrafirma for a win that will boost its chances for a playoff bonus.
Meralco was looking good and had a golden chance of bagging the top spot in the quarterfinals after winning seven of its first nine games, including an earth-shaking 85-80 victory over leader Magnolia.
But disaster struck and the Fuel Masters clobbered them, 93-83, on Wednesday, leaving the Bolts tumbling down to a tied at the third spot with San Miguel and Ginebra.
With that, Meralco lost control of its fate as it has to win its last elimination round assignment and hope for the Beermen and the Kings to lose their remaining games to gain a crack at the top four.
But with the way things are going, it appears that the Beermen are determined to win their last elimination-round game against the Bossing.
They, for one, will be marching with a complete unit as seven-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo and promising rookie Kyt Jimenez will be back in action after suffering various injuries.
Fajardo is returning from a fractured left ring finger injury which sidelined him for six weeks while Jimenez received a rude welcome from Meralco his first PBA game.
The 26-year-old Jimenez was hit by a wayward elbow from Cliff Hodge that fractured his eye socket.
San Miguel team manager Gee Abanilla said both Fajardo and Jimenez will be broken in slowly, similar to what they did to Jeron Teng who came back from a nagging hamstring injury.
“They’ll be ready to play,” said Abanilla, who confirmed to Daily Tribune a few days ago that Fajardo and Jimenez have already been cleared to see action.
With Fajardo and Jimenez back to join the solid core of Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter, Terrence Romeo, Rodney Brondial, CJ Perez, and new recruit Don Trollano with Bennie Boatwright as reinforcement, the Beermen have been reloaded and are expected to make another deep run in the playoffs.
They, however, are expected to have a tough time against the Bossing bannered by Baser Amer, Tyrus Hill, Troy Rosario and Ato Ular with Chris Ortiz as import.
