WILL it be one more time with a feeling for NorthPort? Or will it be payback time for NLEX?
Their Governors Cup quarterfinals matchup would come back to mind as the Batang Pier and the Road Warriors mix it up in the PBA Philippine Cup bubble play at the Smart 5G-powered AUF Sports Arena in Angeles, Pampanga Wednesday.
One will finally break into the win-column while the other continues their misery after their 4 p.m. tussle.
The stakes were high in their most recent face-off where the NorthPort beat out NLEX, 126-123, in a classic triple-overtime battle to make the Governors' Cup semifinals.
It was a heartbreaker for the Road Warriors, who were then the eliminations topnotcher but failed to make it past the quarterfinals as they bungled a twice-to-beat advantage against the gritty NorthPort side led by prolific import Michael Qualls.
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Both NorthPort and NLEX hit good strides in the last conference.
But both have been struggling badly, at least in the opening week of the bubble tourney, each side going 0-3.
Worse for the Batang Pier was they were down to an 11-man team in their last game against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, with gunner Kevin Ferrer sidelined by a swollen right foot.
They entered the bubble with a 13-man lineup, but Jonathan Grey hasn't seen action as he's still in the rehab process from patellar tendon surgery.
There's also the bad break of a being on the wrong side of an erroneous call, allowing rival ROS to escape with a 70-68 squeaker Sunday.
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NLEX isn't any better.
The Road Warriors' 0-3 start was marked by a loss to the Magnolia Hotshots, 100-103, where they blew away a 22-point spread.
Then came a 10-point spanking from the young Blackwater team, 88-98, Saturday.(SB)
