Cobra Energy Drink eyes outright quarterfinal slot

COBRA Energy Drink will try to get a win today over Cebuana Lhuillier that will ensure them of an outright slot in the quarterfinals in Group B of the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the San Juan gym.

The Ironmen and Gems both have 4-1 (win-loss) records but the latter beat current third-placer Max Bond in a tumultuous encounter and would still advance to the round-of-8 even with a loss.

Cobra does not have that luxury since they lost to the Sumos on April 14 and will yield the second outright seat to Max Bond should they falter today.

Cebuana Lhuillier will not have coach Luigi Trillo on the bench following a one-game suspension as an offshoot of that game with the Sumos, the same penalty given to center Ariel Mepana.

Later today, CaféFrance and Junior Powerade open up the playoffs with a clash to determine which team advances into the first round beginning Thursday.

The loser will be the first team officially eliminated in the three-month tournament. Correspondent Jonas Panerio