PBA CC Playoffs: 3 Alaska vs 6 Tropang TNT

He's baaaaaack
(Photo credit: PBA.Inquirer.net)

We are in for a basketball classic.

Before we proceed, was there ever a need for the Alaska Aces to switch back to original import Robert Dozier, Jr. after his replacement Shane Edwards masterfully led them, technically, all the way up to the 3rd spot in the PBA Commissioner's Cup?

Well, Coach Alex Compton appears to think so as he chose to activate Dozier, Jr. in yesterday's game versus the NLEX Road Warriors. The Aces will rely mostly on the exploits of Calvin Abueva (28m/18p/8r/3a), Chris Banchero (25/9/4/1), RJ Jazul (25/11/3/2), Sonny Thoss (24/10/4/1) and Vic Manuel (21/14/5/1), since based on the NLEX game it appears that Dozier, Jr. will need maybe another game or two to really get back into the scheme of things.

The problem here is that, they are going to face the defending CC champions who could've easily been atop the standings had they not been hit with the Ivan Johnson drama early which almost put their campaign at risk. It took time for them to regroup around David Simon (37/24/16/3), but make no mistake, TNT is a lot better than their 6th seeding suggests.

For one, the Aces are looking at a healthy crop of mostly Gilas stars in Jayson Castro (31/19/4/4), Ranidel de Ocampo (28/11/5/3), Larry Fonacier (26/7/3) and Troy Rosario (21/9/4/1) not too mention guys who are just waiting for their turn in the offense in Matt Rosser, Ryan Reyes, Moala Tautuaa and former PBA MVP Kelly Williams.

The Aces have been winning games mostly to their hustle and frontline. The Texters can easily match up Abueva, Manuel and Thoss with-- pick from any combination of the following: de Ocampo, Rosario, Tautuaa, Williams, Harvey Carey, Rosser, and even old man Danny Seigle. TNT is THAT deep in the frontline that no matter how energetic Abueva is (and he definitely is crazy energetic), they will always have live bodies to match.

And yes, we remember Ryan Reyes covering Abueva on a bunch of plays-- ditto with little-used yet pesky perimeter enforcer Aaron Aban.

And yes, they do have that dude named Denok Miranda also in the fold to play keepaway with the Aces' guards.

The imports will most likely cancel each other out, though we expect TNT's to have a bit more of a scoring edge since Dozier is more team and defense-oriented.

As for the locals, Castro needs to be checked by a combination of Banchero and Ping Exciminiano. Manuel versus de Ocampo should be a treat for all Pinoy low-post playing fans (kanto gulangan + legitimate basketball skills 101). While everything will ride on how TNT will counter Abueva; which we think they will. Given the caliber of players they have in the fold, and the way Abueva's spent the last year or so with Gilas under the watchful eyes of TNT consultant Tab Baldwin and head coach Jong Uichico.

Prediction: TNT