Top 6 clubs still teams to beat

MANILA, Philippines – The league’s powerhouse teams and long-time rulers are still the ones favored to figure prominently in the race to the top in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup that unfolds Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Talk n Text is determined to defend the crown, San Miguel Beer is raring to stretch its title run to three conferences while Alaska Milk, Rain or Shine, Barangay Ginebra and Star are tipped to play their roles as perennial contenders.

Globalport will also be on the spotlight with Terrence Romeo, Stanley Pringle and their teammates out to prove that their fourth-place in the Philippine Cup is for real.

Not to be ruled out is a possible breakthrough by anyone among NLEX, Meralco, Blackwater, Mahindra and newcomer Phoenix Petroleum especially if they find a gem of an import for this mid-season tourney featuring reinforcements with a maximum ceiling of 6-foot-9.

It’s TNT versus Blackwater at 4:15 p.m. then Star against Meralco at 7 p.m. on opening day Wednesday at the Big Dome.

The 12 teams figure in a one-round-robin elimination play with the top eight advancing to the playoffs. Then it’s No. 1 versus No. 8, No. 2 against No. 7, No. 3 opposite No. 6, and No. 4 versus No. 5 in the quarterfinals. The top two teams in the elims enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarters. The four middle teams figure in a best-of-three quarters series.

But again, the old powers are the consensus favorites even among the coaches.

“Sila pa rin,” the same line uttered by coaches Leo Austria, Yeng Guiao and Pido Jarencio as to their top choices for the title.

“The top six in the all-Filipino will still be there. The Star Hotshots in their second conference with coach Jason (Webb) will be the dark horse,” said Austria.

Austria and Guiao agree the Barangay Ginebra Kings and the Star Hotshots will be a lot better than their showing in the Philippine Cup.

“Ginebra will improve this conference as the last tournament was just like a break-in for the team under coach Tim Cone. They will now figure prominently in the battle,” said Guiao of the Kings who struggled all tournament long last conference and were stunned by the Batang Pier in the quarterfinals.

“Star with Denzel Bowles, pwede rin,” said Guiao.

“The talent in that team is there. Basically, it’s just a matter of getting used to their new coach and new system. Once they settle down, the ability and the potential of the team will come out. The first conference was just feeling out. They can now be judged on their true worth,” Guiao added.

A conference removed under the tutelage of Cone, the Hotshots barely made the playoff last conference and didn’t go deep, eliminated by the Gin Kings in the quarters.

The coming tourney is also a test to the Globalport Batang Pier.

“Globalport has improved. This is the time when we can say if they’re for real or not, or if they have the consistency to perform well in different conferences. Do they really belong?” said Guiao.

San Miguel, Talk n Text, Alaska Milk and Rain or Shine have been the league’s top tiers in the last few conferences.

The Beermen are winners of three crowns in the last four conferences, the Texters grabbed the lone title that escaped SMB, the Aces are losing finalists in each of SMB’s three title runs while the Elasto Painters are Final Four finishers in each of the last eight conferences.