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| Country's best players 1A, 1B (Photo credit: pba-online.net) |
This corporate rivalry that has spilled on the hardcourt badly needed that "arrow" of yours, if only because Team MVP (through TNT Katropa) wasn't holding up its end of the bargain. While San Miguel Beer kept winning title after title, post-Chot Reyes TNT started to pile up the losses and early playoff exits.
Even their last title romp, over Rain or Shine just a few conferences back, can be marked with an asterisk because San Miguel's key players were hurt during that same conference so they can never really lay claim supremacy. Also, then TNT import Ivan Johnson simply went berserk against the whole league (in a good, basketball way of course)
So yeah, shoot those arrows and post those tweets. Keep them coming (because we sure as hell know that most of the guys on the roster, specially from TNT, won't really look to exchange violent, non-basketball related blows). Would love to see Gabby Espinas and Ranidel de Ocampo get into it. Maybe Arwind Santos and Kelly Williams. Ross' pesky defense versus Castro's genius.
Light up the fireworks.
Here are the match-ups:
PG Chris Ross/ RR Garcia v Matt Ganuelas/ Kris Rosales
It's going to be a fun, cross-match with Ross probably guarding Castro and Ganuelas being asked to try and keep in step with Cabagnot early. The key here will be young Ganuelas' on-court efficiency and how he will be able to control the game versus a veteran like Ross who has done a masterful job in setting the table for the Beermen as their lead point guard. Rosales will also be required to do more than he has, because Garcia has been on a tear off the bench as of late as SMB's token 6th man.
Adv. SMB
SG Alex Cabagnot v Ryan Reyes/ Jayson Castro
Bet money that Cabagnot and Castro will not cross hairs as much as we'd like, if only because Rosser or Reyes will be tasked to shadow the Beermen's clutch scorer. It should be interesting to see if TNT Coach Nash Racela will let Castro play more than his now customary 25 minutes, because we honestly feel that they'll need every bit of Castro to salvage a win in this series. Also, we raise the argument of Cabagnot actually being at par with Castro when it comes to scoring. Cabagnot is already the better point guard between the two, and the only reason why Castro's in the lead is because he's younger, stronger and quicker. BUT, firepower versus firepower, skill versus skill, Cabagnot has more to offer.
Adv. Tied
SF Marcio Lassiter v RR Pogoy/ Larry Fonacier
This will be an acid test for rookie Pogoy, as Lassiter is playing his best basketball as of late and we are not talking about him simply being a three-point specialist at that. Truth be told, Pogoy is being groomed to be just like the two-way player Lassiter is today: can be relied on to knock down threes and anything between while also playing excellent perimeter defense. Fonacier's veteran savvy will come in handy should Lassiter prove too much for young Pogoy to handle.
Adv. Tied
PF Arwind Santos/ Gabby Espinas v Troy Rosario/ Ranidel de Ocampo
Though Santos has been quite vintage this conference, we expect him to run into some trouble versus a guy who is pretty much a mirror image of himself: Rosario who is younger AND taller. De Ocampo is also going to be another problem here, as Santos has had trouble guarding post players in the past (see his performances versus Alaska's Vic Manuel). That's where Espinas comes in to help his fellow Northener.
Adv. TNT
C Junemar Fajardo v Moala Tautuaa/ Kelly Williams
Can anyone stop Fajardo at this point? They can slow him down some, but unless you're built just like him or stronger, then there is really nothing you can do but hope for the best right? Well, yes. BUT, if you could at least negate Fajardo's production, then you are giving yourself a shot at winning. That's what Coach Nash is probably banking on, as the duo of Tautuaa and Williams are averaging somewhere around 20 points and 14 rebounds COMBINED which is near Fajardo's regular statline.
Adv. SMB
X-factor:
Gabby Espinas/ Yancy de Ocampo While TNT boasts of a younger and more athletic frontline, these two veterans aren't exactly pushovers either. Espinas has been shooting well from the outside while de Ocampo enjoys a great height advantage over anyone at TNT, much like Fajardo.
Matt GanuelasTime to prove your worth, is he a Jared Dillinger clone? Is he Gabe Norwood's? Is he a non-lethal Alex Mallari? This is going to be a great learning adventure for Ganuelas as he tries to make a name for himself in the PBA.
Prediction:
San Miguel
TNT will put up a great fight and their college ball style will probably push San Miguel much like Rain or Shine and Alaska do. BUT the champs are on a mission and they don't really look like the type that would squander a 10-1 elimination win-loss record.
TnT in 6.😀
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