RAIN OR SHINE AIMS TO END SLUMP

RAIN or Shine tries to regain lost ground and enhance its bid for a top 6 finish when it battles NorthPort in the main game of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup on Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

After winning five of their first six games in this conference, the Elasto Painters have dropped three of their last four matches to fall into seventh spot in the team standings with a 6-4 card.

Rain or Shine is coming off a 120-92 beating at the hands of Barangay Ginebra last Tuesday, which effectively extinguished the team's hopes of getting a shot at finishing in the top 2, which guarantee a twice-to-beat advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Still, Rain or Shine controls its own destiny as far as finishing in the top 6 is concerned. What the charges of coach Yeng Guiao needs to do is take care of business in their last two elimination round games.

Rain or Shine takes on NLEX at 7:30 p.m. on Satuday and TNT on Jan. 31.

The Road Warriors, on the other hand, are facing their own battle. They are currently tied with the defending champion San Miguel Beermen and the Magnolia Hotshots at eighth spot with similar 4-6 records.

NLEX will have Eastern as its final opponent in the elims, while San Miguel is playing Converge at press time on Friday, before taking on TNT this Sunday.

Magnolia tangles with the Hong Kong ball club, also on Sunday, followed by Meralco on Jan. 31.

Meanwhile, NorthPort looks to end its elimination round with a win when it faces Blackwater at 5 p.m.

The Batang Pier strengthened their top 2 bid after holding off the Beermen, 105-104, for their eighth win in 11 starts.

A win against the Bossing (3-8) could put the Batang Pier in a better position to secure one of the top 2 spots and a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.

Blackwater, though, is coming off a morale-boosting 100-92 win over Phoenix last Tuesday, enduring the sudden absence of high-scoring import George King.

King was a last-minute scratch in the game due to a foot injury but Blackwater's local players put a solid game together to beat the Donovan Smith-led Phoenix squad.

2025-01-24T16:25:38Z