Reaching the National Finals of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League will be a tall order for the Makati Super Crunch.

Makati will have only 5 available players when it meets the San Juan Knights in the do-or-die Game 3 of their Northern Division finals in Subic on Wednesday, March 10.

Several key players who led the Super Crunch to the Northern Division finals will not suit up in the rubber match due to a reported salary dispute with the team brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

Among those players who will not see action in the rubber match for the Super Crunch are former PBA players Rudy Lingganay, Joseph Sedurifa, Juneric Baloria, and Jeckster Apinan.

Left to hold the fort for Makati are Carlos Morales, Edwin Asoro, Carlo Lloren, David Carlos, and Mark Lester Santamaria.

While the Super Crunch go into Game 3 severely shorthanded, the Knights – the defending MPBL champion – will have a formidable lineup.

The Knights will bring in Finals MVP Mike Ayonayon after a productive rookie campaign for NLEX in the PBA and will have former pros like John Wilson and Larry Rodriguez.

Aside from going against a solid Knights crew, the Super Crunch will also endure playing the entire game without substitution.

The winner will face the victor of the Southern Division finals between the Basilan Steel and the Davao Occidental Tigers, whose own deciding Game 3 got postponed to March 17. – Rappler.com