Games Tuesday (Cong. Jun Duenas gym, Taguig City)
2 p.m. — Treston Laguna vs Cobra
4 p.m. — Taguig vs Ascof Lagundi

Hobe Bihon-Taguig and Treston Laguna try to claim the first two semifinal berths when they battle separate rivals this Tuesday at the start of the Tournament of the Philippines quarterfinals at the Cong. Jun Duenas gym in Signal Village, Taguig City.

The Taguig cagers, with their home crowd expected to fill the venue, take on the Ascof Lagundi Cough Busters at 4 p.m. while the Stallions battle the Cobra Energy Drink Ironmen at 2 p.m. in the event organized by the Philippine Basketball League and Liga Pilipinas.

Taguig and Laguna finished third and fourth, respectively, after a gruelling nine-leg elimination round that earned them twice-to-beat incentives against their quarterfinal foes.

But both teams should be wary about the capability of the Ironmen and the Cough Busters to force a rubber match this Wednesday.

M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala Cebu and Misamis Oriental, the top two finishers after the elims, will make their quarterfinal debuts later against MP Gensan and Ani- FCA, respectively.

Lou Gatumbato, Eric dela Cuesta, Ariel de Castro, Harold Sta Cruz and newly-acquired Christian Coronel are expected be at the forefront of Taguig’s assault against the Cough Busters who will be bannered by Rob Labagala, Edwin Asoro, Sean Co and Raymund Aguilar.

Taguig beat Ascof three times during the four elimination round meetings, including its title conquest in the tournament’s fifth leg.

Laguna, on the other hand, will be spearheaded by Ricky Ricafuente, Glenn Bolocon, Leo Losentes and veteran big men Marlon Legaspi and Francis Mercado against the young Cobra cagers.

Athleticism will be Cobra’s main weapon as it boasts of pro-bound players like Elmer Espiritu, Pari Llagas, Rudy Lingganay and Val Acuna.

The Stallions swept the Ironmen in two times they met, including a miraculous buzzer-beating triple by Ricafuente in General Santos City that denied Cobra of completing a three-game sweep of the elims.