Sister teams fight for remaining finals slot in PBA

Game today:

Araneta Coliseum

6:45 p.m.- B-Meg vs. Ginebra

THE B-MEG Llamados and the Barangay Ginebra Kings brace themselves for what could be a fierce encounter as the two sister teams fight for the remaining finals seat of the 37th PBA Governors’ Cup today at the Araneta Coliseum

B-Meg and Ginebra both ended the semifinal round with similar 9-5 (win-loss) records following contrasting outings last Wednesday.

The Llamados failed to clinch an outright entry to the finals after they bowed to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 82-92. The win earned the Painters their first finals appearance since joining the league in 2006.

Ginebra, on the other hand, avoided elimination after it escaped the Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters, 73-71.

The loss ended Talk ’N Text’s run of five straight finals appearances that included three championship finishes.

It was also a sorry ending for head coach Chot Reyes, who will no longer be in the Talk ’N Text bench starting the next season to handle the national team. Replacing Reyes is another multi-titled coach in Norman Black.

The Llamados defeated the Kings in their elimination round encounter last May 27, 96-88, behind the 21 points of Peter June Simon.

The Llamados prevailed once again when the two teams met in the semifinal round last Sunday, 82-70.

Marc Pingris shone bright for the Llamados in that game where he totaled 24 points.

Ginebra’s top local Mark Caguioa was a non-factor in those two games. /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA