PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals: Texters vs Mixers

When was the last time in PBA Finals history wherein you felt that both teams, namely the Talk ‘n’ Text Tropang Texters and San Mig Coffee Mixers, were so evenly matched from coaching staff to players, that you sincerely felt that the series could go either way and no one would have a problem with the end result?

The Texters and Mixers both feature PBA Hall of Fame Coaches in Norman Black and Tim Cone, are led by some of the league’s “who’s who” when it comes to skills, talent and popularity (with the Mixers’ enjoying love from the average basketball fans and the Texters’ by way of the purists who don’t mind “ugly” wins) and could easily represent the country in any or all international meets right here, right now (an honor bestowed and earned by the core of the Texters’).

This series promises to be an intense basketball clinic, owing to both teams’ ability to play and guard both styles of fundamental basketball: run and gun and halfcourt.

Making the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals even more interesting is the fact that it’s a Best-of-Five affair—which forces both teams little to no time to execute and adjust their respective game planes. 

It’s a well-known fact that Black has mastered the art form of game plane execution probably and most likely built around advanced scouting while Cone is the King of pre/in/post game adjustments so that chess match should be quite entertaining and educational.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals!

Why the Texters will win

Right now, they’re the Floyd Mayweathers of Philippine basketball. Experienced, savvy, versatile and most of all, undefeated. Even if they were to lose a game or two in the PBA Finals, it wouldn’t take away from the beautiful and near-historic run that they were on. 

The Texters were able to bring in the right import in Richard Howell, a wide-bodied, muscle-on-muscle, rebounding beast quick enough on his feet to play the way the Texters want to. With a solid import who is focused more on playing team-oriented basketball rather than putting up 30 points a night, the locals simply went to work like they always do. 

But arguably the biggest thing here for the Texters really is, every single one of them appears healthy. Ryan Reyes is healthy (maybe he should keep the lucky ‘stache and goatee), which is almost next to impossible, Danny Seigle isn’t whining about his ankle/back/leg/touches and Jimmy Alapag found the Fountain of Youth hidden somewhere in the PLDT offices. 

This team should win because they can guard against the style that has become the Mixers’ biggest, if you will, “Mortal Kombat fatality go-to-move” which is to play BIG on all spots: PJ Simon, James Yap, Joe DeVance, Marc Pingris and James Mays. This five usually creates all sorts of problems for opposing teams—but one look at this possible mix for the Texters: Jayson Castro Nino Canaleta Kelly Williams Ranidel de Ocampo and Howell and we’d pretty say that they’re dead even with the slight advantage tilting the Texters’ favor (because DeVance’s “toughness” has always been questioned by most pundits as compared versus Williams/ de Ocampo’s). 

Also, for all things Mark Barroca, he’s looking at playing against the Three Kings of the Texters’ guard position in the stronger Castro, pesky Reyes and the “I’ll kill you in the 4^th quarter if my team hasn’t already” Alapag. 

Why the Mixers will win

The Mixers will win because not only are they just as skilled as the Texters on most fronts, but because unlike their seemingly systematic, nay, robotic Blue-and-Yellow opponents, they play with a lot of heart. 

Not that the Texters don’t play with the same passion, but it would be a stretch to say that Texters’ Ranidel de Ocampo is as emotional (on television anyway) as the Mixers’ heart and soul Marc Pingris. See, Pingris’ embodies the Mixers’ unwavering belief that they can and should win no matter the odds. 

Truth be told, the Mixers are on the same boat as the Texters when it comes to having “two First Fives.” The first core is built around 2x PBA MVP James Yap, PJ Simon, Joe DeVance and Pingris; with the second team formed by upstarts Mark Barroca, Justin Melton, Alex Mallari and Ian Sanggalang. 

The Mixers’ “first team” is not only big, with Simon, Yap and DeVance all being the designated ball-handlers, but they are also versatile in terms of switching on every defensive assignment with maybe their import James Mays as the only “traditional” two-way player. Simon and Yap are interchangeable in the perimeter, DeVance (when focused and motivated) is uncanny and Pingris can guard just about any one in all of the PBA. Money’s on Cone putting his trust in his veteran stars to deliver against the systematic and almost fault-less Texters when the going gets tough.

That being said, the “second team” of young guns shouldn’t be over-looked as well. Barroca has risen to become arguably the league’s best two-way point guard while Sanggalang continues to prove to be PBA-ready right away. Things are going to get a little rough for Sanggalang against the Texters’ barrage of versatile wings, which puts the burden of delivering for the Mixers on Barroca, Melton and Mallari. The three speedsters are eerily reminiscent of the Texters’ Alapag, Castro, Larry Fonacier killer combination but it’s not going to be easy specially with their overall limited range.

The X-factor

James Yap. 2x PBA Most Valuable Player. He was missing the bulk of the eliminations and playoff rounds but made a strong case for himself in the clincher versus Air21. If Yap can rediscover his old form and just stay on the floor to provide quality minutes for the Mixers, it’s going to be big for the Mixers because he’s an all-around threat on the floor. If he’s on his game, he’s also big enough to not make things easy for the Texters’ wings Fonacier, Canaleta and-at times- Ryan Reyes.

The Verdict

This is going to be an awesome basketball match-up wherein fans and purists will be treated to a televised coaching clinics. The two teams are probably tied when it comes to overall talent, so it’s going to come down to who is able to execute their game plan when it counts. For the most part, because of their consistency and the simple fact that everyone’s finally healthy (in what feels like years), don’t be surprised if the Texters win it all (and usher in a series of PBA Finals runs under the Black Era). 

Unless of course, we go to a Game 5 and get another guaran-Ping. Then all bets are off.