source: Waylon Galvez | mb.com.ph

Alaska tries to keep its bid for the last outright seat in the Final Four as it guns for win No. 11, while Barangay Ginebra looks to secure an automatic slot in the quarterfinals in the PBA Fiesta Cup this Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

With a 10-6 win-loss card, Alaska takes on Sta. Lucia Realty (5-11) at 4 p.m., while Ginebra (9-7) meets Air21 in the 6:30 p.m. encounter.

The Aces actually have a fighting chance to make the semifinals if they win their last two games, including this one against the Realtors and opposite defending champion San Miguel Beer on Saturday in Dumaguete
City.

The Beermen currently sport a 12-5 record after they snapped a three-game skid with a 99-86 win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Friday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

San Miguel Beer import Gabe Freeman scored 30 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in his ‘comeback’ game after missing two, while Dondon Hontiveros had 17 points on five-of-eight shooting from the three-point territory. Jay Washington had added 15 and Alex Cabagnot contributed 12 with eight rebounds and the same number of assists.

If Alaska wins against SLR and then it beats San Miguel next week, they will end up with similar 12-6 cards after the classification phase.

B-Meg Derby Ace, the reigning Philippine Cup champion, is also in the running for the last outright seat in the semis with its 10-5 card. The

Llamados will play league-leader Talk ‘N Text (14-2), the first team to advance to the Final Four, late Saturday. (Update: B-Meg Derby Ace def. Talk ‘N Text, 88-87)

In case of a three-way tie, the two teams with the best quotient will have a playoff to determine which team advances to the semis.

Alaska will face a team that is fresh from a 113-91 win over Air21 last Friday that arrested a six-game losing skid. It was Sta. Lucia’s first

victory since trading Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes were dealt to TNT a little over a month.

Prior to SLR’s win against Air21, its last victory was opposite Alaska (91-87) when Williams and Reyes were still with the Realtors.

“Sta. Lucia is coming off a big win so their confidence will be very high,” Alaska mentor Tim Cone said.

“It’s important that we don’t look past them and look to our SMB game next week. We need to stay in the moment.”

Games Sunday (Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. — Alaska vs Sta. Lucia
6:30 p.m. — Air21 vs Ginebra

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