Purefoods just applied the pressure on the other leaders to deliver on the floor.

But in the meantime, the Star Hotshots would have to pray that things go their way in the final four playdates of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup eliminations.

Denzel Bowles scattered 37 points and had 21 boards in another brilliant effort that helped Purefoods dust off undermanned Meralco, 96-85, to tie for the elimination round lead and make the others try to catch them in the last four days.

Rain or Shine also won on Friday night, 102-98, over Blackwater, and will need to win its remaining game, against KIA Motors on Sunday, to have a shot at a twice-to-beat privilege that the Hotshots are longing for but have no control over.

That is because if Rain or Shine wins and Talk ‘N Text also hurdles its final elimination round assignment, the Hotshots would finish No. 3 as they will lose in the quotient system after losing badly to the Elasto Painters and winning by just one over the Tropang Texters.

“We finished the way we wanted (by winning our final game) and we’re not going to sweat over it (not gaining a top two spot),” Purefoods coach Tim Cone told reporters later.

“If we end up third (after the eliminations), I’ll be happy with that,” Cone continued. “It’s out of our control at the moment. We really have to get help from the other teams (opponents of Rain or Shine and Talk ‘N Text).”

The Elasto Painters got 31 points and 13 rebounds fro import Wayne Chism, who bucked another night of being saddled by three fouls in the first period, as Rain or Shine climbed to a tie with the Tropang Texters at 7-3.

On the other end of the floor for the Painters on Sunday will be the hulking PJ Ramos and the rest of the Carnival, who will also be coming into that game badly needing a win to make it past the eliminations for the first time in their PBA lives.

“We still need to win on Sunday (tomorrow),” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao said. “KIA is a different team now than it was in the last conference. They’re giant killers and they still have a chance to make the next round.

“Plus (PJ) Ramos will be a tough match-up problem for us.”

Barangay Ginebra and Globalport, both also fighting to stay alive, clash in a game slated at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City on Saturday with the winner booking a slot to the quarterfinals and the loser also playing a waiting game.

The Gin Kings and the Batang Pier are both at 4-5 and the winner will even have a shot at advancing in the upper half of the bracket with a game left in their respective schedules.

Purefoods has now gone 3-1 since Bowles arrived, and the former Best Import has practically played hero in all of those wins.

Against the Bolts, Bowles grabbed several crucial boards in the stretch that prevented Meralco from having second-chance attempts, before burying the dagger from 20 feet with under 44 seconds remaining for 93-85.

After making that basket, and with the big crowd at a frenzy, Bowles holstered an imaginary pistol and went on to salute the crowd.

“Denzel got into a shooting rhythm early in the game and he had it all night,” Cone said. When he’s shooting like that, he’s very, very hard to defend.”

Peter June Simon and James Yap tossed in 15 points each for Cone, who got a lot of mileage from the veteran Rafi Reavis at the slot.

Reavis helped make life hard for Meralco import Josh Davis, taking over from what would have been Marc Pingris’ job after Pingris failed to practice the game before because of a high fever.

“To be honest with you, I think it was a great move on my part to put Reavis on Davis. That wasn’t in our original game plan, Cone said. “Ping was sick yesterday and there were doubts that he could play. Rafi made me look great out there.”

Davis worked very hard for his 31 points and Gary David added 27 for the Bolts.