BANG the cymbals. Hit the drums. Light up the fireworks. The Smart-Liga Pilipinas playoffs are on.
On two separate venues, the best-of-five quarterfinals kick off Monday, ranging against another four of the eight best teams in the tournament's maiden season.
In Taguig, at the C.P. Tinga gym, the Batang Global, behind Noy Javier, Ronnie Mathias and Abraham Santos, take on the Iloilo Mang Inasals, while at the Pagadian City gym, the Explorers, featuring Mark Yee and Erian Daja, open their showdown with the Misamis Oriental Meteors. Game time is set at 6 p.m. for both openers.
"The quarterfinals pit not only the eight best teams of Liga but also the eight best homecourt support," said Liga CEO Noli Eala.
"Teams need to take advantage of playing at home if they are to survive a short best-of-five series. I am sure the fans will enjoy the uniqueness and excitement of the home-and-away format which only Liga has."
The quarterfinals employ a 2-2-1 format, with the Cebu Ninos, Pampanga Buddies, Pagadian and Taguig enjoying homecourt advantage for qualifying outright by earning the most number of points at the end of the 13-leg, 7-week elimination phase of the tournament sponsored by Smart, Accel, Molten, Metathione, Nature's spring, Burlington, and Laptop Exchange.
The Meteors, bannered Jerome Paterno and Dennis Concha, led by Chito Jaime and Francis Barcellano, advanced to the playoffs by disposing off the Ilocos Bravehearts in the wildcard phase, while the Mang Inasals, led by Chito Jaime and Francis Barcellano, booked a date in the Final Eight by beating back-to-back the host Baguio Victory at the University of Baguio gym, becoming the only team to get past a twice-to-beat opponent last week.
