SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – And then there were four.
Action in the PLDT Home DSL PBA Philippine Cup heats up as only four teams remain, all vying for the elusive All-Filipino crown. With the fall of three-peat champions Talk ‘N Text, all four squads will do whatever it takes to secure the prestigious Jun Bernardino trophy.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and San Mig Coffee started the conference on contrasting notes; Ginebra towered all tournament long with a formidable roster led by Gilas Pilipinas veterans Japeth Aguilar, Greg Slaughter, LA Tenorio, and Mac Baracael. The Mixers meanwhile, just as they had started in the 2013 Governor’s Cup, started with a miserable slump. They lost their first four assignments and dropped to 1-5. It is only through their will and championship spirit that they have managed to overcome that slump to survive to this point. They were led by familiar names in Governor’s Cup Finals MVP Marc Pingris and Mark Barroca.
Ginebra and San Mig Coffee had to go through a needle in the quarterfinals before setting up a much-anticipated clash dubbed nowadays as the ‘Manila Clasico.’ Expect fans to flock the venues in as much as seven games in this thrilling encounter.
(1) Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel (11-3) vs (5) San Mig Super Coffee Mixers (7-7)
Philippine Cup head-to-head: Tied, 1-1.
Why Ginebra will win: Although the Kings had some lapses in the elimination round and back-to-back losses before closing out Alaska in the quarterfinals, they remain a strong squad especially when everybody plays their ‘A’ game for the team. Japeth Aguilar, who tallied 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks in their knockout game vs Alaska, must show he’s reliable in this series. Greg Slaughter must bully San Mig’s frontline, while LA Tenorio and Mark Caguioa must provide the leadership roles.
Why San Mig will win: Marc Pingris and Mark Barroca joined hands as the Mixers won 8 of their last 11 meetings in the Philippine Cup. PJ Simon, who missed the first three outings in this season, gave San Mig a huge lift on offense with his 14 PPG average. Pingris, Ian Sangalang, and Rafi Reavis will man the frontcourt and try to stop Ginebra’s towers. And once again, San Mig likes keeping it low so in order to contain Ginebra, the Mixers must get the job done on the defensive end.
Key match-up:
LA Tenorio (11.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.3 APG) vs Mark Barroca (14.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.4 SPG)
Tenorio and Barroca are easily among the top playmakers in the league. Ever since entering the PBA, Barroca made his mark for the San Mig franchise. He is now their scoring, steals, and assists leader while Tenorio is averaging a league-best 7.3 assists per match for Ginebra. The two will operate their respective teams’ offense like giving coaches Ato Agustin and Tim Cone an extra assistant on the floor.
X-Factors:
Ginebra: Chris Ellis
Chris Ellis is not really the first offensive option for Ginebra, but the reigning PBA dunk champion showed his wares in Ginebra’s demolition of the Aces. Ellis scored 16 points on 70% shooting and grabbed 6 boards to help the Kings win. His size and length will be of great use especially in containing SMC shooters like PJ Simon and James Yap.
San Mig: Justin Melton
Melton, the 13th overall pick in the 2013 PBA Draft, showcased his outside sniping when it mattered the most. He shot 4 of 7 from three-point land to finish with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists to help the Mixers oust TNT. He is expected to be a defensive player but giving San Mig an extra boost on offense would definitely help.
What this game means: The last time Ginebra finished No. 1 in the eliminations, they went on to win the 2007 All Filipino Cup. This is a chance to do the same with their very competitive line-up. For San Mig, the dream is alive. Even after falling to 1-5, they’ve survived several storms and they’re eyeing another Cinderella run. The road to the finals begins now for two franchises with colorful PBA histories.
RAPPLER PICK: Ginebra in 6 games
– Rappler.com
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