NO THANKS to their recent struggles Terrafirma and Phoenix Super LPG know their window of opportunity in the PBA Governors Cup is fast closing.

Remaining undeterred, the Dyip and Fuel Masters each intends to make that opening a little wider when they clash Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

A win by either 2-3 Terrafirma or 1-5 Phoenix would keep alive their respective hopes of making it past the 11-game eliminations and gaining inclusion among the eight teams set to slug it out in the playoffs.

Considering the stakes, expect a no-quarters-asked, none-given kind of matchup.

Terrafirma would not have been in such a pickle had it bounced back from a 109-131 drubbing from powerhouse TNT last Saturday and got the job done against import-less Rain or Shine just last Thursday.

But it was the Dyip who played more listless in the early goings and, although they managed to catch up in the stretch, could not prevent the Elasto Painters from escaping with a 120-118 decision.

Terrafirma coach Johnedel Cardel later admitted his players failed to match Rain or Shine’s aggressiveness when the latter played all-Filipino. “Siyempre they (E-Painters) came out aggressive at hindi namin na-match iyon,” he said.

It’s now a matter of his Dyip picking up the pieces and bracing for the expected tough stance from Phoenix. “Nagtatalo rin iyan kaya hindi bibigay sa amin iyan,” stated Cardel.

Indeed, Phoenix’s sense of urgency is also heightened following its own two-game slide, but with the advantage of a little more time to regroup following a 95-108 loss to Magnolia last Friday.

More than an offense anchored on Jason Perkins and Tyler Tio, the Fuel Masters’ chances also hinge on how Du’vaughnn Maxwell performs this time around.

Against the Hotshots, Maxwell netted only 11 points and 10 rebounds while committing seven turnovers and his defense should be severely tested against Terrafirma’s Jordan Williams, who finished with 30 points and 16 rebounds in the Rain or Shine game but took some time before finding his groove.