WITH identical 5-4 win-loss cards, Magnolia and Converge are already safe and sound in the Magic 4 of Group A and the quarterfinal stage of the PBA Season 49 Governors' Cup.
But there's still much to play for when the Hotshots, with new import Rayvonte Rice, and the rejuvenated FiberXers face off Monday to wrap up the elims at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The 5 p.m. tiff serves as a virtual playoff for the No. 3 seeding in their group, which would lead to a date with a lower-ranked opponent from Group B, not that bracket's topnotcher, in the coming best-of-five quarters series.
The winner draws the second seed from the other pool, which would either be San Miguel Beer or Barangay Ginebra. The losing squad, on the other hand, gets the highest-ranked quarterfinalist from the opposite section, either Rain or Shine or Ginebra.
Converge is in the middle of its redemption tour after finishing dead last in the two conferences of the previous season on a cumulative record of 3-19.
Under a new coaching staff led by interim Franco Atienza, assistant coach Charles Tiu and consultant Rajko Toroman, the FiberXers have surpassed that lowly mark with a game to spare in the elims and returned to the playoffs.
The Alec Stockton and Jalen Jones-led FiberXers have won their last three assignments, including the quarters-clinching 105-97 upset of Group A No. 2 Meralco last Sept. 18.
Jones will be on his second appearance for Converge vice the injured Scotty Hopson and should be more familiar with his team now compared to the debuting Rice, who arrived Saturday to take over from Shabazz Muhammad.
Muhammad is dealing with a swollen knee, which he sustained in Magnolia's 82-84 loss to TNT last Sept. 17, and missed the Hotshots' 110-94 rout of NorthPort last Friday. The squad felt it's not worth risking both Muhammad's career and Magnolia's run in the playoffs at this point.
Rice, who is listed 6-foot-4, last suited up for the Liaoning Flying Leopards in the Basketball Champions League Asia, where he averaged 17 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 35.3 percent from deep. (OL)
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