Barangay Ginebra and TNT figure in a heavyweight showdown as they hope to solidify their positions inside the Top 8 in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup at the PhilSports Arena on Friday, April 19.

The Kings are looking to pick up their sixth win, which would assure them a spot in the playoffs, against a Tropang Giga side which is also seeking to move closer to the quarterfinals door in the 7:30 p.m. affair.

Also looking to formally punch its playoff ticket is the undefeated San Miguel Beer which is gunning for win No. 6 against the lowly Converge in the curtain raiser at 4:30 p.m.

Ginebra is currently in the solo fourth with a 5-3 record while TNT, which sits at the fifth spot with a 4-3 record, hopes to join San Miguel, NLEX and Rain or Shine as teams with already five wins.

The bigger concern, however, for the Kings is how to fill the void left by Jamie Malonzo who will be out for six to eight months due to a calf tear. The development was bad timing for Ginebra which has only started to get its rhythm going following the return of Scottie Thompson from a nagging back injury.

"He's such a valuable part of our team and such a great teammate. Everybody loves him so we're all going to feel bad if he's not able to play. But just like any other thing, it's next man up," said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone.

The Kings are actually thin on its rotation on the wings with Jeremiah Gray still out due to a knee injury, leaving Cone to rely on the likes of Sidney Onwubere, Ralph Cu and even Stanley Pringle to pick up the slack.

Good thing, Cu was coming off a breakout performance for Ginebra when he flirted with a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

However, it is not only Cu who will be coming into the contest brimming with confidence from a breakout game.

TNT’s Calvin Oftana is also riding the crest of a 37-point explosion when the Tropang Giga prevailed over NLEX in a fiery shootout in Candon City, Ilocos Sur last Saturday.

The versatile forward is looking to sustain his fiery form but will still need help from guys like Jayson Castro and RR Pogoy to overcome Ginebra’s tough defense.

The two have also been solid for TNT which is looking to rise from the tight middle pack of the standings. The Tropang Giga are currently at the fifth spot of the standing, hoping to join SMB, Ginebra, NLEX and Rain or Shine as teams with at least five wins.