Grudge Rematch Between Conference Leaders

Right now only one thing worries San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen: Complacency.

At the moment, though, the Beermen haven’t shown signs that may cause Tanquingcen to worry.

For nearly one month and a half, they’ve been playing great basketball it would be unthinkable if they don’t clinch an outright semifinal spot in the 2009-10 KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.

“It’s human nature. When things are going well you tend to be complacent. I just hope the players would be able to keep their focus and continue playing well,” Tanquingcen said after the Beermen’s 110-94 blowout win over Sta. Lucia last Friday.

The winningest team in league history with 18 titles, San Miguel Beer is also currently the league’s hottest team and owns the conference’s longest winning streak of nine consecutive victories.

But the reigning Fiesta Cup champions are expected to encounter rough sailing tonight when they battle the well-rested and league-leading Alaska Aces.

“They are efficient in their offense execution and they are very well coached,” Tanquingcen said of the Aces. “So we have to come into the game defensively aiming to lower their shooting percentage.”

The game between the conference’s top two teams is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.
“It should be an epic game,” Cone predicted.

The Philippine Cup has just started round two of the elimination but Alaska and SMB already appear to be in playoff form.

Alaska leads the pack with a 9-1 (win-loss) record and their nine-day break in between games should enable them to re-energize and prepare against the rampaging Beermen (9-2), who could move up to No. 1 with “W” No. 10. The Aces defeated SMB in their first meeting, 85-74, last Oct. 17 in Panabo City, the Beermen’s last taste of a loss.

Cone readily acknowledged that SMB is tough to beat because it has plenty of offensive threats. Nevertheless, he said the Aces are ready and excited to go into battle.

“They’re so talented offensively that we have to figure out how to make stops to take some of the pressure off our own offense,” Cone noted.

“We need to mix some stops here and there if were going to win.”

Purefoods also tries to stretch its winning streak to four games when it takes on Barako Bull at 5 p.m.

The Giants have won their last three games to pull abreast with Talk ‘N Text and Barangay Ginebra at third place in the team standings. Another victory tonight would pull them close to the leaders and stay in contention for an outright semis spot.

“As long as we stay close behind the leaders, who knows what will happen,” Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio said.

The first time they met last Oct. 23, Purefoods dumped the Barako Bull, 92-77. Although they are favored to repeat, the Giants can’t take the Energy Boosters lightly.

Barako Bull (2-9) has lost its last seven games but the Energy Boosters could certainly provide their opponents a hell-of-a-game on any given night. (DBC)