TnT, Derby Ace clash in Batang PBA finals

MANILA, Philippines - Two-time defending champion Batang Talk N’ Text-Quezon City will take a shot at the record books on Sunday in the 2010 Coca-Cola Batang PBA Summer League Finals at the Araneta Colisuem.

Only Batang B-Meg Derby Ace-Caloocan City stands in the way of the Batang Texters of two-time winning coach Mark Herrera in their quest for a rare “three-peat” in the annual tournament confined to kids 9-12 years old.

The title duel is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. following the 12 noon battle for third place between Batang Coca-Cola-Marikina and Batang Rain or Shine- San Juan.

Both from Group A, TnT-QC has defeated Derby Ace-Caloocan City, 69-58, in the classification round and remains the heavy favorite to clinch its fourth championship overall in seven editions of the event.

Adding color to the title showdown is the expected shootout between Batang Texters’ Jolo Mendoza and Batang Llamados’ Aljun Melecio - both candidates for the league’s Most Valuable Player trophy.

“We are definitely going for history. The boys are upbeat and Talk N Text officials (Manuel V. Pangilinan and Ricky Vargas) are all behind us in our bid for a three-peat,” said Herrera, the national U-13 coach who also mentors the UE Junior Warriors.

Mendoza, a sixth grader from the Ateneo de Manila University and son of former UP Fighting Maroon and Shell assistant coach Jigs Mendoza, is TnT-QC’s top gunner averaging 31 points a game.

Melecio, also a sixth grader from Bukidnon Faith Christian Inc., is the leading scorer of Derby Ace-Caloocan City with an average of 24 points a game.

Being the top two teams of the 2010 Coca-Cola Batang PBA Summer League, Batang TnT-Quezon City and Batang Derby Ace-Caloocan City also earned seats to the 2010 Powerade-Batang PBA National Finals which will start on Tuesday.

Joining the two teams are six other squads which emerged champions in their respective Batang PBA regional eliminations.