Bossing Aim for Another Giant-Slaying Upset as Ginebra Looms

Pat Aquino and Blackwater are set to face another formidable opponent as they take on the streaking Barangay Ginebra in the night’s main event of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner's Cup at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Despite being considered the underdogs in this 7:30 p.m. matchup— sportsbook has Ginebra favored by -12.0—the Bossing are riding high on confidence after their stunning win over San Miguel.

The over/under is pegged at 207.0 for the game.

Betting is open for tonight’s matchups here

Blackwater, looking to stay in the quarterfinals race, shocked the Beermen last Wednesday by handing them a loss despite San Miguel's push for a winning streak with Bennie Boatwright playing his second game. The Bossing led by as much as 22 points before the Beermen mounted a comeback, but Blackwater kept its composure in the endgame, securing Aquino his first victory as head coach.

“I told the guys they’d come back. This is a champion team, and Coach Leo is a champion coach. They’ll give us everything to bounce back. I just told the boys to never stop playing,” said the 54-year-old Aquino, reflecting on the game.

Now, Blackwater faces another title contender in Barangay Ginebra, with Aquino gearing up for a coaching duel against his idol, Tim Cone.

“It’s gonna be tough with back-to-back games against another champion, and of course, my idol, Tim Cone,” Aquino said, smiling as he spoke of the man who was once his counterpart with the Gilas Men.

Ginebra, despite a slow start, appears to be regaining their form. The crowd favorites have strung together a three-game win streak, defeating rivals Magnolia, Phoenix, and most recently, Terrafirma, in an impressive 111-103 victory where they knocked down 18 three-pointers.

However, Coach Tim Cone remains cautious ahead of the game, despite his team's strong form. Ginebra, now tied for third with Meralco at 5-2, enters as the favorite against the 2-6 Bossing.

“Any team in the PBA can beat you on any given night... we have to stay alert and be prepared for every game,” said Cone, the winningest coach in PBA history.

Meanwhile, the early game features TNT facing Macau at 5:15 p.m., with the guest team hoping for an upset after securing their first win of the season. After seven losses, the Black Knights finally broke through with a 119-107 victory over Titan Ultra, led by Jenning Leung's 32 points. They’ll look to ride that momentum as they face the defending champions, who are coming off a 97-92 loss to Converge.

TNT, aiming for a third straight win, struggled with shooting in that defeat, but Coach Chot Reyes’ squad, now at 5-3, still sits in a competitive position, tied for fifth place with the Fuel Masters.

Despite the loss, TNT remains the favorite for their clash with Macau, with setting the line at -12.0 and the over/under at 213.0.