A chase for two different goals is at stake as NorthPort locks horns with San Miguel in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

As the battle for positioning continues to heat up, the Batang Pier push their bid for a Top 2 finish while the Beermen are in dire need for a victory to keep their stronghold of the eighth spot at the end of the 7:30 p.m affair.

SMB is doing its best to stay in the playoff picture with its 4-5 record but teams outside the magic 8 in Magnolia, Phoenix and Blackwater – the latter two even figuring in another important battle in the curtain raiser at 5 p.m. – are in the hot pursuit.

The Beermen are coming off a tough road loss to the Meralco Bolts, 100-93 – a game where they paraded their fourth import this conference in Malik Pope.

While Pope had decent numbers with 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block, it was far from what is expected from him especially SMB needs an import to rely upon after Quincy Miller, Torren Jones and Jabari Narcis failed to provide stability.

Pope is surely getting his hands full against NorthPort import Kadeem Jack, who has been a major reason behind the Batang Pier’s great success in this conference.

At 7-3, NorthPort still has a clear shot at claiming one of the two twice-to-beat incentives in the quarterfinals but it needs to overcome a two-game slump and catch TNT (6-2) and Converge (8-3) in the Top 2.

The Batang Pier, however, are from being a one-man wrecking crew with local stars in Arvin Tolentino and Joshua Munzon all proving to be capable contributors at any given night.

NorthPort might also need to press the pace especially with its running game which can easily neutralize the size advantage of SMB that banks heavily on June Mar Fajardo.

Curious spectators surely are Blackwater and Phoenix although they still have to take care of their business first before worrying about the outcome of the other games.