The final game of the elimination phase of the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup will be this Friday, featuring the careening Blackwater Bossing and the streaking Magnolia Timplados Hotshots. Both teams have made the playoff cut, but who will finish the elimination round with a W?

Catch this game live on Friday,  July 22 at 6:00 pm, Manila time.

Blackwater Bossing (5-5)

Projected Starting Five:

• PG: JVee Casio
• SG: Rashawn McCarthy
• SG: Rey Suerte
• PF: Renato Ular
• C: Yousif Taha

Blackwater’s tailspin continues, as the Bossing suffered a heart-breaking 92-90 loss Wednesday night to the Converge FiberXers. The Bossing are now on a four-game winless streak, but the good news for them is that they are making the playoffs, thanks to Magnolia winning over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, also last Wednesday. Still, Blackwater would want to recover the moxie it showed earlier in the season when the Bossing defeated the likes of the TNT Tropang Giga, NorthPort Batang Pier, and Meralco Bolts and also looking competitive in losses to heavyweights Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and San Miguel Beermen. 

Despite the loss to Converge, the Bossing looked a whole lot better in that contest than in both of their blowout losses to the Elasto Painters and the NLEX Road Warriors, two games prior. Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser’s confidence must have also taken a huge bump after scoring 20 points and grabbing 12 rebounds against the FiberXers. The Bossing love moving the ball around, as they are among the leaders in assists percentage this conference. They are also a solid offensive rebounding squad, so expect Blackwater to make it tougher than usual for Magnolia to dominate on the glass.

Magnolia Timpados Hotshots (7-3)

Projected Starting Five:

• PG: Paul Lee
• SG: Jio Jalalon
• SF: Calvin Abueva
• PF: Ian Sangalang
• C: Rafi Reavis

Magnolia is getting scarier the closer the postseason gets. After a slow start in which they went 1-3, the Hotshots have stitched together a six-game undefeated run, including their 118-87 demolition job in the aforementioned victory over the Elasto Painters. Magnolia’s offense is pumping out hot lava right now, as the team has averaged 106.3 points per game, and don’t expect too much that it will dial down a bit on the attack this Friday against Blackwater. 

While they have already secured their spot in the playoffs, the Hotshots wouldn’t want to lose their steam going into the next phase of the conference. With Calvin Abueva, Paul Lee, and Rome Dela Rosa now all healthy, the deck is stacked for the Hotshots, so Blackwater should have its hands full trying to slow down a rampaging Magnolia squad. Magnolia’s defense is also nothing to scoff at. In fact, the Hotshots entered the Blackwater game no. 1 in the league with a 91.6 defensive rating.

PREDICTION:

Spread: Magnolia (-8) covers.

Over/Under: The over 173.5 hits.