SMB-TnT ‘war’ under way

In a fitting finale in the season-ending tournament, the very best clash in a war for supremacy and piece of history as San Miguel Beer and Talk n Text begin their best-of-seven title showdown tonight in the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Game One is set at 7:30 p.m. following the 4:45 p.m. one-game playoff for third place between Red Bull Barako and Shell.

It will be a series teeming with subplots — with dream match-ups from the starting units of the two teams — and virtual loyalty check with the fans — the SMB crowd coming in daring red and Phone Pals supporters putting up their own gimmicks.

But Talk n Text coach Joel Banal said the biggest morale boost for the Phone Pals is earning this title shot against the sister team of the ballclub — Barangay Ginebra — which dethroned them in the recent All-Filipino tourney.

"They wear different uniforms but they’re just the same San Miguel teams. We love the challenge and we’re excited to play them," said Banal.

Though imports Jerald Honeycutt and Ace Custis aren’t expected to take on one another, several match-ups would surely spice up the showdown. There’s Jimmy Alapag versus Olsen Racela, Willie Miller against Dondon Hontiveros and Mark Telan against Danny Ildefonso.

But the Beermen are expected to have the advantage on match-ups with Custis’ quickness cranking up an efficient offense.

If Talk n Text opts to play the zone defense, San Miguel is likely to work on its potent halfcourt game with Hontiveros, Racela, Danny Seigle and Nic Belasco trying to open up the Phone Pals’ defense with outside offensives.

Seigle, the league leading local scorer before being sidelined by injury, is likely to play long minutes after groping for form for two weeks.

"He’ll be back in our regular rotation dahil talagang finals ang expectation na balik na siya in his old form. He just had a hard time getting back into groove in the semifinals because of our long layoff," said San Miguel coach Jong Uichico.

PBA watchers feel Talk n Text would have the advantage on backcourt match-ups but Racela maintains the Beermen could overcome this with a solid game.

"As far as I’m concerned, I have nothing more to prove having been in the league for 13 years. It’s not about me versus Alapag or Miller against Hontiveros. It’s San Miguel versus Talk n Text."

Incidentally, Alapag averages 14.6 points, 6.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds while Racela norms 11.3 points, 5.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds.

Honeycutts’ and Custis’ numbers are pretty close with the former averaging 23.8 points, 13.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.4 steals and the latter 23.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals.

The entire Talk n Text team averages 95.9 points, 52.8 rebounds, 21.3 assists, 6.5 steals, 2.7 blocks against 16.3 turnovers. San Miguel, meanwhile, norms 87.5 points, 50.3 rebounds, 18.6 assists, 4.6 steals, 4.4 blocks against 17.7 turnovers.

Custis, however, stressed all these numbers don’t count anymore. What he expects is 48 minutes of hell in all the games in the finale.