Petron Blaze Boosters Basketball Updates

Photo Credit: PBA.ph

Tonight’s ballgame will test the mettle of the San Miguel Beermen against a talented young squad in Talk N Text Tropang Texters. Talk N Text is one of the teams considered by most coaches as a powerhouse team so this fight should be an acid test for the Beermen.

It’s interesting to note that these two teams engaged in a trade deal during the Rookie Draft Day. SMB traded its first round 3rd overall pick to in exchange for bigman Jay Washington.  Talk N Text then used it to acquire Jason Castro. In today’s matchup, we shall see if they made the right decisions in choosing these players, at least for this ballgame.

On most occasions, players who were traded by his mother team performs great when they face their former team. Will Jay Washington and Jason Castro show a stellar performance? For my personal opinion, Jay Washington should be thanking Talk N Text for his transfer as he is playing very well this conference with the Beermen.

Another thing that we, as Beermen fans want to see, is whether SMB can now break the spell of a fourth quarter meltdown. It has caused us a win against Alaska and almost spell disaster against Purefoods and Rain or Shine.

Will SMB now play a solid fourth quarter? That remains to be seen in today’s ballgame so don’t miss it.

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TROPANG TEXTERS PIT TALENTS AGAINST BEERMEN
Air21 seeks breakout game vs Coca-Cola

Source: Philippine Basketball Association (PBA.ph)
Friday, October 17, 2008

Talk N Text coach Chot Reyes knows exactly what they’re up against on Friday night. And apparently, he and his troops are excited about the challenge.

Four days rested after absorbing a 96-117 blowout at the hands of defending champion Sta. Lucia, the Tropang Texters resume their campaign against the San Miguel Beermen – considered by many as the toughest basketball team in the 2008-09 KFC PBA Philippine Cup. Game time is set at 7:30 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.

Both teams hold identical 2-1 records although the Beermen have momentum on their side following their 89-82 victory over Rain or Shine last Wednesday.

With their size, bench depth and experience, the Beermen offer a lot of concern for Reyes and his Tropang Texters. But Reyes also knows well that their showing against SMB could well determine how far their basketball campaign could go this conference.

“Playing with the biggest, deepest and most talented basketball team in the PBA (SMB), all we want is to compete with them,” Reyes said.

While it doesn’t have the depth of SMB’s bench, TNT has the tools to be a playoff contender although its ability to play 48 minutes remains suspect.

The other game scheduled at 5 o’clock is just as interesting with the Coca-Cola Tigers aiming for a second straight win against the struggling Air21 Express, who are hoping to break out of a three-game slump.

The Tigers snapped a two-game slump Wednesday by edging the Purefoods TJ Giants, 103-102, in double overtime, a win that Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis hopes ” would be a sign of good things to come.”

With the Express nowhere close from the team that engaged eventual champion Barangay Ginebra in a deciding seven game basketball duel for the Fiesta Conference championship last season, chances look bright for the Tigers.

And that worries Air21 basketball coach Bo Perasol.

“More than anything else, we need to find within ourselves the will to win. We need to desire it and not just wish for it,” he said.

With the losses piling up, Perasol considers Coca-Cola as another stumbling block in their effort to get out of a fix.

“We have to find a way to get over this hump.” (DBC)