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PBA: Battle for second seed heats up, as Alaska faces Phoenix

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/01/26/abueva-012517.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Alaska needs Calvin Abueva to play an all-around game for it to beat Phoenix on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of the PBA Media Bureau</div></figcaption></figure></div>A quarterfinal berth will be on Alaska’s mind when it takes on Phoenix in the PBA Philippine Cup at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City on Friday.The two teams clash at 7 p.m., after NLEX and Mahindra, both out of contention, face off at 4:15 p.m.With less than a week left in the elimination round, the fate of more than half the teams remains up in the air.<table border="1" cellPadding="3" cellSpacing="3" style="width:100%" width="737"><colgroup><col/><col/></colgroup><tbody><tr bgcolor="#2f75b5" height="20"><td colSpan="5" height="20" style="height:20px;width:323px;color:white;text-align:center">PBA Philippine Cup standings</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#d9d9d9" height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">Team</td><td>Won</td><td>Lost</td><td>Pct</td><td>Next game</td></tr><tr height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">x San Miguel</td><td>9</td><td>1</td><td>0.90</td><td>TNT (Jan. 28)</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#d9d9d9" height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">y Phoenix</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>0.60</td><td>Alaska (Jan. 27)</td></tr><tr height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">y TNT</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>0.60</td><td>San Miguel (Jan. 28)</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#d9d9d9" height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">Rain Or Shine</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>0.56</td><td>GlobalPort (Jan. 29)</td></tr><tr height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">Alaska</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>0.56</td><td>Phoenix (Jan. 27)</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#d9d9d9" height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">Star</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>0.56</td><td>Meralco (Jan. 28)</td></tr><tr height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">GlobalPort</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>0.50</td><td>Rain Or Shine (Jan. 29)</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#d9d9d9" height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">Ginebra</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>0.50</td><td>NLEX (Jan. 29)</td></tr><tr height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">Blackwater</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>0.45</td><td>(no games left)</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#d9d9d9" height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">Meralco</td><td>3</td><td>7</td><td>0.30</td><td>Star (Jan. 28)</td></tr><tr height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">Mahindra</td><td>2</td><td>7</td><td>0.22</td><td>NLEX (Jan. 27)</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#d9d9d9" height="20" style="text-align:center"><td height="20" style="height:20px">NLEX</td><td>2</td><td>7</td><td>0.22</td><td>Mahindra (Jan. 27)</td></tr><tr height="20"><td colSpan="5" height="20" style="height:20px;width:323px">x - Twice to beat; y - Quarterfinals</td></tr><tr height="20"><td colSpan="5" height="20" style="height:20px;width:323px">~ Standings updated after January 25 games</td></tr></tbody></table>Where Alaska is in the standings, the Aces can either take the No. 2 spot and a twice-to-beat incentive or fall all the way to 8th place and settle for a twice-to-win handicap.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li>READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/22/17/alaska-fans-playoff-hopes-eliminates-mahindra">Alaska fans playoff hopes, eliminates Mahindra</a></li></ul>If Alaska takes care of business Friday and beats Rain Or Shine on Wednesday, it gives itself a good chance to do the latter.Vic Manuel and Calvin Abueva played a pivotal role in Alaska’s last game, a 107-91 rout of Mahindra. Manuel finished with 20 points, while Abueva had 18 and 10 rebounds.Alaska coach Alex Compton credits Abueva’s willingness to learn for his smart play of late.“Calvin has mentors in Tony (dela Cruz) and Dondon (Hontiveros),” Compton said. “Calvin did some great things today, he made some better decisions.”If one team exemplifies the see-saw nature of the conference, Alaska need not look further than its next opponent.Phoenix was 2-3 at one point and losing games by huge margins. After winning 4 of their last 5 games, the Fuel Masters have a decent shot at landing the second seed.Coach Ariel Vanguardia said his team is taking a more small-picture approach to games.“I told them, ‘Let’s try to win quarters,” Vanguardia said after Phoenix beat Ginebra in its last game.“We’re facing a champion team. Who knows, if we play quarters, by the fourth quarter, we&#x27;d be happy with our effort.”For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

Where Alaska is in the standings, the Aces can either take the No. 2 spot and a twice-to-beat incentive or fall all the way to 8th place and settle for a twice-to-beat handicap.

Where Alaska is in the standings, the Aces can either take the No. 2 spot and a twice-to-beat incentive or fall all the way to 8th place and settle for a twice-to-beat handicap.