Uphill climb for the Beermen

From A to Z, Reid does it all for SMB
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

The good: the San Miguel Beermen are starting to actually resemble the PBA Philippine Cup champion version of themselves. The bad: they need to win their remaining games to get proper Playoff positioning, and teams to not win so much. The ugly: one of their two remaining games will be against old rivals, Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters which is currently seated atop the standings with a 6-2 win-loss record.

So that's the Beermen's current predicament: an uphill climb to stay relevant in what was supposed to be "phase 2" of their Grand Slam quest this season. If they can't win against the Texters (and Global Port), then they'll have to pray the best they can and maybe go on a tour de force of church visits from Manila to Pampanga to Cebu to hope that they can make the playoffs (re: other teams start losing, scoring margin computations, etc.).

But can they do it?

We believe they can.

A look at the stats reveal that the core of Arwind Santos (28mpg, 12ppg, 6rpg), Junemar Fajardo (31mpg, 12ppg, 12rpg), Marcio Lassiter (26mpg, 8ppg, 3rpg) and Chris Lutz (32mpg, 10ppg, 3rpg) are slowly rounding back into game shape. Alex Cabagnot is still struggling with his shooting, but a stat line of 7 ppg 4rpg 4apg in 26mpg isn't all too bad when you think about it in a team-oriented attack.

And then there's Arizona Reid, a 6"4 dreadlock-sporting former PBA Best Import awardee who can literally do anything and everything "from A to Z." The former Rain or Shine reinforcement is averaging a solid 42mpg, 28ppg, 11rpg, 4apg and providing everything the Beermen needs. If Fajardo is feeling it in the paint, Reid plays outside, if things are getting rough inside, he goes in there and gets his hands dirty. If he needs to play the point, no problem.

Knockdown a crucial trey when all hope seems lost?

That's Mr. A to Z for you.

See, the Beermen are so talented that yes, we really do believe that they can not only make the Playoffs, but also advance deep into the Semifinals of this PBA Commissioner's Cup regardless of who is currently seated at the Top 4 of the standings. The thing with the losses is that, their first five, the core so to speak is so good, that there's a very thin line in terms of team balance. If one of them goes off the mark (read: Cabagnot playing like he went AWOL, Santos being benched for so long when Ronald Roberts was the import, the prized Lutzitter duo being their usual inconsistent yet now seemingly over-rated selves), then it destroys on court chemistry. But, when all five buy in to the team concept and just let the game come to them-- wow. Just wow.

Having a super import like Reid who can dominate the basketball (instead of just waiting for it in the pivot) makes the pecking order much easier as well.

Two more games to save the Grand Slam dream.

Two more games to prove that the PBA Philippine Cup title wasn't a fluke.

Believe in the Beermen.