MANILA, Philippines - No hype. No frills. Just an old fashioned quest to be the best.
Alaska Aces vs Ginebra San Miguel Kings. PBA diehards could not have asked for a perfect matchup.
Their varied journey to the best-of-five PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals beginning tonight had been the hype all along. One made it by lording it in the elims while the other simply lived through a number of sudden deaths with its never-say-die spirit.
“There’s really no need to hype the series. The storyline is thick and self-evident. It’s a special treat to the fans,†said PBA commissioner Chito Salud.
Gametime is at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
But for some gravy, the title series could be taken in different perspectives.
There is the duel of two coaches for a breakthrough PBA championship, a playmaker facing the team that honed him up to be one of the league’s finest quarterbacks at present, and a first-timer with a personal mission to keep his streak of titles in his rookie year in various levels.
Alaska’s Luigi Trillo and Alfrancis Chua of Ginebra, seeking to join the elite roster of PBA champion coaches, said it doesn’t matter if the Aces had swept the Kings in two games in the elims.
“We’re both hungry. There are so many issues. But in the end, I think it’s about who wants it more,†said Chua.
“It’s really an exciting series. It’s fire and ice with our contrasting styles. Ginebra thrives on open court while we love to set up halfcourt basketball. They love to run and score on transition, and we have our strengths limiting the other team’s points and assists and forcing turnovers. You see the difference there,†said Trillo.
Focus will also be on LA Tenorio, whom Alaska dealt to Ginebra where he has flourished to become the Kings’ chief playmaker.
There is also Calvin Abueva, who is after a personal grand slam feat of sort, that is winning a title right in his rookie year in all levels – NCAA, PBL, PBA D-League and PBA.
Alaska’s Cyrus Baguio and Ginebra’s Mac Baracael are also after a title against their former teams while Jayjay Helterbrand and Kerby Raymundo want to cap their resurgence with a championship coronation.
Trillo, however, points to Ginebra’s veteran players while Chua to Alaska’s bench as players who could be the x-factor in the series.
Raymundo and Helterbrand are two warriors who have regained old forms, giving Ginebra tremendous lift in their incredible playoff run.
Meanwhile, Abueva, Dondon Hontiveros and Tony dela Cruz are among the off-the-bench players who give Alaska much depth and stability.
“It’s my dream to play Ginebra in the finals. Hopefully, we beat them and make a show for the fans,†said Dela Cruz.
“We’re just so excited to play in this finals,†said Raymundo.
It’s the first Alaska-Ginebra finals in 16 years.
Alaska is in pursuit of a first championship in its post-Tim Cone era and 14th in all in franchise history, while Ginebra is in chase of a first title in five years and ninth overall.
The finale of the Cebuana Lhuillier PBA playoffs will be aired on a simulcast basis on IBC-13 and ABC-5.