MANILA, Philippines – In their PBA Philippine Cup match on Friday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig, Phoenix Super LPG looks to stop its grief while Converge’s is prolonged.

The Fuel Masters are in desperate need of winning two straight games to break out of a coming-game slump, improve their record to 2 to 4, and build their confidence before facing Magnolia in two days.

I’m optimistic that from now on a thing should begin going our direction. Let’s see, anticipates,” Jamike Jarin, the coach, said.

Converge, on the other hand, ought to be more determined given that, after six games, it is still winless.

The FiberXers will want to capitalize on their breakthrough victory because they will be playing the league’s established heavyweights, San Miguel Beer (April 19), the company Meralco (April 21), Barangay Ginebra (April 27), and TNT (May 1), to finish their elimination round campaign.

According to Jarin, his group is just as hungrier than converge. “We had encounters we would have liked to have won, but tragically we’re sporting a 1 to 4 record at the present time,” he stated.

Jarin explained the team’s poor start by saying that they were still getting used to Tyler Tio’s injury, which occurred during their March 8 opener versus NorthPort.

RR Garcia, Jason Perkins, and most recently, Raoul Soyud all experienced injuries one after the other.

“Unconstitutional fortunate circumstances, eh. Missing our starting position as a guard, suddenly Perkins as well as Soyud, whose names are also initial reasons, after which RR,” regretted Jarin. “So having had comprehensive change-up in your beginning and flexion and flexion eh.”

Phoenix added free agent Kent Salado to fill up for Tio, who was injured on March 31. Despite Salado’s impressive debut, the FiberXers were defeated 102 to 116 by SMB.
“This team possesses the ability of possessing a team over every opponent. It’s simply unsettling that they have not been playing well for himself,” Jarin stated. “I’m hopeful we will be able to hang continuing with that, coming into the encounter and play beneficial purposes and then following 48 minutes of play we win.”

Meanwhile Ginebra vs. Blackwater: An online argument during the playoffs

Which squad will be able to regain momentum, maintain their position right behind the front pack, and check their slide?

It was the main focus of Friday’s PBA Philippine Cup match between the struggling Blackwater Bossing and the Barangay Ginebra Kings at the PhilSports Arena within Pasig in the Philippines Both teams have been losing a lot lately.

The Bossing have lost their past three games, while the Kings have dropped their last four games. Both teams are currently at 3 to 3.

Even if they still have time on their side, they need to stop their downward trend in order to catch up to the leaders.

Because of their tie with the TNT Tropang Giga, which is ranked fifth to seventh, they are part of a congested pack in the middle of the leaderboard. Magnolia and Rain or Shine are virtually tied at 2 to 2, and Meralco is poised to make a move at 3 to 4.

Thus, in the weeks leading up to the playoffs, the Kings and the Bossing are engaged in a hypothetical playoff face-off.

In the course of the second half following their 91 to 85 loss against the Terrafirma Dyip on Sunday, coach Tim Cone, who was not happy with his team’s performance, let his subordinates take over as instructors.

With their campaign beginning in the second half of the elimination round, it remains to be seen how the Kings will react.
The club led by Christian Standhardinger finished second last season and won one championship, but they are far from returning to that level of play.

Cone acknowledges that because of their dysfunctional relationship, they aren’t playing excellent basketball.

They have to make adjustments, and they want to do it as quickly as possible.
They will then have to overcome a formidable foe in Blackwater, a team that has been playing excellent basketball even though they have lost.

Coach Jeff Cariaso’s team defeated Meralco (96 to 93), TNT (87 to 76), and Breakthrough (90 to 78) in closely contested games before falling short against NLEX (97 to 103), Terrafirma (91 to 92), and Rain or Shine (103 to 110).