Given a lease on life, Bacolod Bingo Plus is raring to pounce on the opportunity to stun Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardine’s again on Tuesday in their Game 3 decider for the second finals slot in the South division of the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season Presented by Xtreme at the Mayor Vitaliano Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga City.
Bacolod edged Zamboanga, 61-58, in Game 2 on Saturday to level their semifinal series at 1-1 and prove that it is really no pushover to Zamboanga, which prevailed in the series opener, 71-65, also held at the same venue on November 8.
Despite its loss to Bacolod, however, Zamboanga remains to be the slight favorite in the 6:30 p.m. encounter, simply because it will be playing before a loud and very supportive local crowd.
For Zamboanga to win, the Marcelino twins Jaycee and Jayvee Marcelino must hit their strides as their offense was wanting in the Game 2 loss, with Jaycee, the MPBL All-Star MVP, held to 5 points and Jayvee 9.
Other players who must deliver for Zamboanga, the South division elimination phase ruler, are Jhaps Bautista, Jhaymo Eguilos and Chito Jayme.
Bacolod, on the hand, will again rely on Alvin Alday, Mark Yee, Raymund Ilagan, Jhan McHale Nermal, who is hoping to rebound from a 5-point output in Game 2 and Jeramer Cabanag, who did not play in Game 2.
The winner between Bacolod and Zamboanga will tackle early qualifier Batangas in a best-of-three affair for the South division crown.
Batangas repulsed Rizal, 72-66, on Saturday to complete a 2-game sweep of the Golden Coolers.