NLEX, Magnolia fight for last q’final slot in PBA Commissioner’s Cup

Sports

A GRUELLING 12-game elimination round proved not enough to determine the final playoff pairings in the 49th PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Nine teams are still in contention while four squads, including the powerhouse San Miguel Beermen, have taken an early vacation.

A sudden-death playoff match between the Magnolia Hotshots and the NLEX Road Warriors will determine the playoff cast.

The Magnolia-NLEX duel is scheduled on Sunday, February 2, with the winner taking on the top-seeded NorthPort Batang Pier.

As the No. 1 seed, NorthPort will enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinal round. The other twice-to-beat bonus was secured by the TNT Tropang Giga, who wound up as the No. 2 seed.

TNT will be going up against guest team Hong Kong Eastern in the quarters.

The other quarterfinal pairings will be played via best-of-three affairs.

The Barangay Ginebra Kings (4th seed) will take on the Meralco Bolts (5th) while playing another race-to-two series are the Converge FiberXers (3rd) and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (6th).

Quaterfinal winners will advance to the best-of-seven semifinal round. Seminal winners will then fight for the championship, which will also be a best-of-seven series.

Aside from the defending champions Beermen, also eliminated from contention are Phoenix Fuel Masters, Blackwater Bossing, and the Terrafirma Dyip.(MyTVCebu)