SMBeer protests TnT's Zamboanga win

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Beer, keen on clinching the playoffs top seeding and giving sister team Purefoods a boost for an outright entry into the quarterfinals of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup, placed under protest the result of its game against Talk n Text in Zamboanga Saturday.

The SMB management wants a reversal of the outcome of the game, insisting Talk n Text should have automatically lost the game by forfeiture.

The Tropang Texters closed out their stint in the double-round eliminations with an 11-7 win-loss card as they edged the Beermen, 93-91, on a gutsy drive by Jimmy Alapag in the closing seconds of the out-of-town game.

The Beermen, however, stressed the Texters should have lost the game by forfeiture as they reported to the playing court with the proper playing uniform almost an hour behind the 5 p.m. schedule.

The opening tip-off was made at 6 p.m.

PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios received SMB’s protest letter yesterday and met with key staff members but deferred making a decision on the protest.

The Texters learned that they had left their assigned light color uniforms in Manila. They arrived at the playing venue close to 6 p.m.

Apparently, the PBA couldn’t declare San Miguel the winner right away as a crowd of over 10,000 came to watch the game.

If San Miguel’s protest is upheld, Talk n Text would instead finish at 10-8, in danger of missing the Top Five.

At the moment, San Miguel (13-5) is assured of an outright semis berth, Alaska (12-4) is guaranteed of a playoff for the second semis spot while Ginebra (12-6) has a lock on a quarterfinal seat.

Purefoods (11-6), Sta. Lucia (10-7) and Talk n Text are disputing the last two outright seats in the quarters.