Top dogs battle it out in pivotal PBA tiffs

Games Friday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Alaska

7 p.m. – San Miguel vs Talk n Text

Game Saturday (Dipolog City)

5 p.m. – Purefoods vs Barako Bull

MANILA, Philippines – Four giant teams figure in two giant matches that could well determine the two teams gaining outright semifinal entry in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday.

Second-running Alaska Milk (8-2) and No. 3 Rain or Shine (7-2) clash at 4:15 p.m. then league leader San Miguel Beer (8-1) and fourth-running Talk n Text (7-3) collide at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, Purefoods Star seeks to salvage the last slot in the Top Six as the Hotshots tangle with the Barako Bull Energy in the last leg of the Petron Blaze PBA on Tour at 5 p.m. Saturday in Dipolog City.

San Miguel and Alaska ease all possible ties for the Top Two if they beat their respective foes, but Talk n Text and Rain or Shine complicate matters if they prevail.

“This is a big test for us,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.

“This actually is the biggest or the toughest for us this conference, considering we made a run versus opponents not as big as Talk n Text. Early on, we faced the traditional powers still on a rebuilding phase or still fine-tuning their game,” Austria pointed out.

“This one is different. This is a giant team which has been playing well. They are veterans who know how to handle any kind of game situation,” Austria added.

Both teams are on a rampage with San Miguel winning its last five games and Talk n Text winning six of its last seven outings.

The Aces had been on equal footing with the Beermen until they were stopped by the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 92-101, Tuesday.

Nonetheless, the Aces secure outright Final Four passage with a win over the E-Painters. Rain or Shine, meanwhile, sneaks into the Top Two if the E-Painters win their last two games against the Aces and the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

“Semis slot at stake. Alaska is formidable this conference as they have found a formula for winning,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.

“They’ve adopted a new system away from a deliberate half court triangle to a motion offense with a pressing defense,” Guiao added. “We have to find an antidote if we want this semis slot. If not, we just have to do it the long and hard way.”

Talk n Text has clinched a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals at 7-3, but the Texters are still hoping to sneak into the Top Two.

Of course, that possibility doesn’t rest just on the Texters’ hands.

But for whatever its worth, the Texters are determined to finish their elimination-round strong.

“We have the same thing in mind. We’re both building momentum for the playoffs,” said Austria.

Both teams have gone on a hot streak even with the absence of key players.

Kelly Williams is in sickbay for Talk n Text while Marcio Lassiter and David Semerad are smarting from different health woes for San Miguel.