Bolts take on streaking Hotshots

Games today
Araneta Coliseum
4:15 p.m.- Blackwater vs. Rain or Shine
7:00 p.m.- Meralco vs. Purefoods

Three teams in the running for a critical outright semifinal seats see action today in the continuing elimination round of the 40th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters battle expansion team Blackwater Elite in the first game, while the second game promises to be an exciting duel with the defending champions Purefoods Star Hotshots taking on the Meralco Bolts.

Rain or Shine, Meralco and Purefoods are in a thick of race for the two outright Final Four berths.

Purefoods, which is on a three-game winning streak, are tied with the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters at the number one spot with identical 7-3 (win-loss) cards.

Closely trailing the co-leaders are Meralco and Rain or Shine, which both have 6-3 slates.

Teams at the upper part of the standings are gunning for crucial wins as outright semifinal slots awaits for the top two teams after the eliminations. The bottom four will be eliminated.

Blackwater is in danger of taking an early vacation as it is mired at the bottom of the standings with two wins against seven losses.

Against Blackwater, Rain or Shine tries to get a good follow-up of its 82-79 win over the Barangay Ginebra Kings last Sunday.

FINES GALORE

The game saw several skirmishes that saw two fans being ejected from the playing venue after they were caught throwing plastic bottles into the playing court.

Rain or Shine bruiser Beau Belga was involved in several altercations that led to him being meted with a total of P70,000. His teammate Raymond Almazan was also slapped with P40,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The fines slapped on Belga and Almazan came after their head coach Yeng Guiao was fined P22,000 for his altercation with former Rain or Shine import AZ Reid in the team’s 114-129 loss to the San Miguel Beermen last Friday.