PBA Commish Cup semis: Talk 'n' Text vs Ginebra

Best PG in the PBA
might be decided in this series

What a funny coincidence, having two low-seeded teams going at it for the right to advance to the 2013 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals. On one side you have the 6th seeded Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters which thoroughly man-handled the (reeling) 3rd seeded Petron Blaze Boosters. On the other, you have the 7th seeded Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, arguably playing their best basketball under Coach Alfrancis Chua, overcoming the odds and winning over 2nd seeded Rain or Shine Elastopainters.

And though we love and appreciate Ginebra's mighty run, there's no denying that from the looks of things, they are about to hit a brick wall which will effectively end their heroic and magical run.

See, the Elastopainters were supposed to win. They were complete, they were healthy and they have bigs in just about every position. Unfortunately, they took Ginebra lightly and didn't seem to have the right mentality going into the Playoffs and that's what cost them the series (with the defiant Ginebra veterans taking full advantage).

Well, don't count on the Texters to take games off versus Ginebra. Not with head coach Norman Black leading the way. Not with their championship-winning core. Not with Rabeh Al Hussaini playing like he's finally found a niche in the PBA as a high-post big man with a sweet jumpshot. And definitely NOT with them knowing that a basketball player's career is short and that if you can win now, then win  BIG now (as a tribute to fallen comrade, former PBA MVP Kelly Williams). YOLO.

So no, the Texters won't do an Elastopainters in their Best-of-Five affair.

PG Jimmy Alapag/ Jayson Castro vs LA Tenorio
We love Tenorio and think highly of him as Alapag' worthiest heir. Unfortunately, not even the very best can withstand a double dose of elite point guards in Alapag-- who is going to make Tenorio run AND Castro who is going to use his size advantage to the hilt.  Tenorio has also been playing near the 40-minute mark as of late which is not a great idea. While they brought in Urbiztondo, we've seen him pairing with Tenorio instead of subbing in for the guy owing to their team's thin rotation at the SG.
Adv. TNT

SG Ryan Reyes/ Larry Fonacier vs Josh Urbiztondo/ Jayjay Helterbrand
Urbiztondo will get shackled to the point of tears by Reyes while also giving up a bunch of corner pocket threes. Fonacier will use all his smarts versus Urbiztondo to make up for the small gap in speed. Helterbrand will put up a fight, but we don't see him being as effective against a bloodhound like Reyes who is a very physical defender. Of course, this match-up tilts heavily in Ginebra's favor if reigning PBA Most Valuable Player Mark Caguioa comes back healthy by Game 2-3.
Adv. TNT

SF Jarred Dillinger vs Mac Baracael/ Chris Ellis
Dillinger has undoubtedly won over Coach Black with his DareDevil ways (hi Coach Chot). Unfortunately, there are young thoroughbreds just itching to prove themselves versus tough competition. You have an explosive athlete like Chris Ellis who just works hard and has a nose for the ball, and then you also have a guy like Baracael who is pretty much a bigger, less-flopping version of Ronald Tubid in the sense that when his game is on, he is as close to a complete player as you can get (bonus points for swag).
Adv. Ginebra

PF Ranidel de Ocampo/ Ali Peek/ Harvey Carey/ Rabeh Al Hussaini vs Kerby Raymundo/ Rudy Hatfield
While Raymundo went on a Time Machine and just ran around the Elastopainters' horizontally challenged bigs, don't expect the case to be the same versus the Texters. Opposite Raymundo is a guy who pretty much has the same skillset-and more in the bigger and beefier Ranidel de Ocampo. You also have enforcers like Peek and Carey to come in and tire out Ginebra's brave veteran. And if those guys aren't enough, there's a beefy kid named Al Hussaini who is proving to be not too shabby as well.
Adv. TNT (too many forwards that will expose Ginebra's aging and undersized frontline, time to dust off Billy Mamaril, Willy Wilson and Rico Maierhofer)

C Jerome Jordan vs Vernon Macklin
Jordan played soft in the Petron series, wonder how he handles himself against a guy who exudes energy on the court. Macklin is almost like an amped up Denzel Bowles in a way, he could be the difference on this one as well. Good thing for the Texters though is that they have an insane amount of bigs to throw on Macklin and test Ginebra head coach Alfrancis Chua's faith in his mighty import.
Adv. Ginebra

While it's tough to go against Ginebra the way they're playing, TNT is playing at an even better pace and looks to be the title-romping Texters we've grown to love/ hate the last three-four seasons. Texters in 3, 4 or 5 (basta tagilid ang Ginebra lalo na kung wala si Caguioa).