Semis or bust for Tropang Texters, Aces

Game today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

7 p.m. – Alaska vs Tropang TNT

MANILA, Philippines - Reigning champion Tropang TNT and Alaska Milk go through one final grind, disputing in a knockout match the last berth in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup Final Four at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

The lone Friday tiff is set at 7 p.m. with the winner living to pursue a lofty goal while the loser takes the sideline, returning to play only after the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament that the country is hosting in July.

It’s either the Texters staying in the hunt for a title repeat or the Aces keeping hopes for a third straight finals appearance.

The question is how well the fortitude of the two teams will hold up in the face of each other’s expected all-out spunk.

The team that emerges victorious will move to the best-of-five semifinals versus Meralco and its hulking import Arinze Onuaku. The other semis matchup pits San Miguel Beer and Rain or Shine.

Both teams have shown their grit, with the Texters winning the first game at 106-99 then the Aces fighting back to get even, 85-81, in the next game.

The deciding match could go to the team that desires it more.

“We have had two exciting games versus TNT in this series and I expect the third to be the same,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.

“This is the great challenge of the PBA playoffs. Some plays you will bring your best and it might not be good enough to stop the great players on the other teams. But we embrace this challenge and we look forward to bringing our best in a do-or-die game versus a worthy opponent,” Compton also said.

David Simon, Jayson Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo and Troy Rosario are the men to watch in the TNT team that won the last Commissioner’s Cup crown in a tough seven-game grind versus Rain or Shine last year.

Rob Dozier, Calvin Abueva, Sonny Thoss, Cyrus Baguio and RJ Jazul are expected to lead Alaska’s bid to stay on the road to redemption following their monumental fold-up in the all-Filipino finale.

Castro and Abueva wage a side battle, with both trying to stay in the fight for the Best Player of the Conference.

Greg Slaughter and Terrence Romeo are stats frontrunners whose teams are both out of the tourney.

NOTES: Star could be a strong title contender in the Governors Cup as the Hotshots are one of four teams (the others being Mahindra, Blackwater and Phoenix) that will be allowed to play an import with a height ceiling of 6-foot-9. The rest will have an import height cap of 6-foot-5. Team governor Rene Pardo said they’re bringing back Ricardo Ratliffe in the season-ending tourney with Marcus Blakely as backup. As Denzel Bowles’ replacement in the Commissioner’s Cup, Ratliffe posted impressive averages of 28.0 points, 18.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 blocks in eight games.