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Coca-Cola and Barako Bull are having their own "Survivor Series", Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) style.

Going into the two-week holiday season break, the Tigers and Energy Boosters are fighting it out neck-to-neck for the final berth in the wildcard stage of the season-opening Philippine Cup.

Both the Tigers and Energy Boosters two bring out the rear of the standings in the All-Filipino tournament, with one team, unfortunately, expected to be booted out at the close of the two-round elimination phase and the other, getting to live for another day and advance into the playoffs.

At the moment, the Energy Boosters occupy the cellar with a 2-12 record, although the Tigers are not far ahead at 3-12.

Spicing up the competition between the two is the fact that one of Barako Bull’s victories came at the expense of Coca-Cola, 81-73, last October 18 in a game where big man Asi Taulava came down with a foot injury just eight minutes into the match.

The 6-foot-9 former league most valuable player (MVP) had to be sidelined for about two months following the injury, causing him to miss the Tigers’ next nine games.

But following Taulava’s return in the active roster, the Tigers had been making a late push entering the homestretch of the eliminations, winning two of their last three games, including a 105-92 rout of Alaska five days before Christmas.

"Right now our goal is very modest. And I guess, the players realized it is very achievable," said Coca-Cola coach Bo Perasol of the team’s target of making it to the wildcard stage.

"I kept emphasizing to the team that when we come to a game, it’s not to win but to battle. So, regardless whether we play Barako Bull or Alaska, we should play with the same determination."

Of the two, Barako Bull appears to be facing an enormous task ahead.

Winless the last two months – their last victory came on Oct. 28 against Rain or Shine, 89-81 – the Energy Boosters have four games remaining, two of them against the top three teams in the league in San Miguel (Jan. 8) and Talk `N Text (Jan. 10).

After a week’s break, they resume their campaign on Jan. 17 against the Sta. Lucia Realtors before capping the conference with a grudge match versus Coca-Cola on the 20th at the Astrodome.

The Tigers for their part, won’t play their first game of 2010 until Jan. 13 opposite the Beermen, followed by their showdown with the Elasto Painters on the 15th, and finally against the Energy Drinkers five days later.

Games January 6 (Araneta Coliseum)
3 p.m. — Smart-Gilas vs Purefoods
5 p.m. — Sta. Lucia vs Rain or Shine
7:30 p.m. — Talk ’N Text vs Ginebra

Source: Unknown Author  gmanews.tv