PBA: Must-win for Beermen, last try to revive fading hopes

San Miguel tries to inject life into its sagging bid in the PBA Commissioner's Cup as it faces sister team Barangay Ginebra in a must-win game Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum. Although their current 1-4 record is not the worst start for the proud franchise, the Beermen badly need a win going into their 6:30 p.m. encounter with the Kings to stay in the hunt for a playoffs berth in the import-flavored tournament. The Beermen had lost three in a row and are mired in the bottom of the standings together with Air21 and Meralco. They are coming off a 91-99 defeat to the Powerade Tigers after losing a 14-point third-quarter lead. Despite his team's dilemma, coach Ato Agustin is still optimistic that eventually his players can turn their campaign around after shaking up their lineup with a blockbuster trade with Air21. "May chance pa naman (to make the playoffs), kaya lang mahirap. We have to win all of our remaining games to have a shot," said Agustin. The worst start the Beermen had in recent years was at 0-6 in the 2007 Fiesta Conference, while the last time the team failed to make it past the playoffs came in the 2005 Fiesta Conference. The Beermen are still confident of their chances, but they will be up against a surging Ginebra side which won its last two matches, including a 99-86 rout of Air21 only last Wednesday. The Kings occupy the middle of the standings with a 3-2 card together with Rain or Shine. "This is a big game for both teams,"said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico. "We are now in the crucial stretch and every game will count big time." Rain or Shine, meanwhile, sees action for the third time in a week, hoping to break a two-game slide when it goes up against Air21. The Elasto Painters lost to Talk 'N Text, 78-99, and Smart-Gilas, 94-99, after racing to a 3-0 record for their best start in franchise history. "Mataas naman ang morale ng team," said Elasto Painters' coach Yeng Guiao, unmindful of his team's losing streak. "Hindi kami affected by the two losses. We're disappointed but we’re doing well. We still have a good chance of making it to the top six, that’s the objective." The 4 p.m. match marks the first time Guiao will be facing the last team he coached before moving to the Rain or Shine bench. "It's all forgotten, what happened in the off-season," Guiao said. "It's not a factor anymore. It doesn't give me any additional motivation. It's the natural desire to win the game that matters." The Express have lost four straight after opening the tournament with a 92-87 win over the Beermen. - JVP, KY, GMA News