First of two cracks at title vs Texters: Mixers go for rare ‘3-peat’

Game today (Philsports Arena)

8 p.m. – San Mig Coffee vs Talk n Text

MANILA, Philippines - After being one of the rest and surviving sudden deaths in the quarterfinals and semifinals, San Mig Co suddenly has a solid chance to be the best.

In fact, it has two cracks at the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown, including in tonight’s Game Four against an embattled Talk n Text side as it tries to join the elite group of three-peat champions in the pro league.

And the Mixers, formerly the Purefoods Hotdogs, will try to finish off the Tropang Texters and complete the feat at the very venue of the franchise’s glorious years in the 90s – the Philsports Arena or Ultra in Pasig. 

Game Four of the best-of-five title series is at 8 p.m. and, if ever, the Mixers would be the first PBA team to score a “three-peat” since coach Jong Uichico steered San Miguel Beer to three straight championships starting in the 2000 Commissioner’s Cup.

Before the dominant run of that SMB team, led by Danny Ildefonso and Danny Seigle, the other teams, which had pulled off the feat were Crispa (twice in their golden era in the 70s to the early 80s), Great Taste (1984-85), the 1989 San Miguel Beer grand slam team and Alaska Milk (1996 and 1997-98).

Prior to their own run, San Mig Coffee had never won successive championships.

But with the determination of James Yap, Marc Pingris, PJ Simon and their teammates, the Mixers are about to break new ground, threatening to steal the show from the TnT team now on the brink after a rock-solid 13-game romp from the eliminations to the semifinals.

But it could have been the other way around had the Mixers failed to find a way to wiggle out of a four-point deficit entering the final minute of Game Three Tuesday at the Big Dome.

James Mays came through with a big three-point play off Ranidel de Ocampo then James Yap knocked in an equally huge corner jumper, giving the Mixers a 77-75 victory for the crucial 2-1 series lead.

Needless to say, the Mixers want to deliver the killer blow tonight.

“For us to do that, we’ll need a better effort than what we gave in each of the first three games of the series,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.

“We’ve got to figure a way to get them uncomfortable again. We need to be ready and willing to grind out a win,” Cone also said.

The Mixers held the Texters to conference-low outputs in winning Game One, 95-80, and Game Three, 77-75.

After blowing what had seemed a won ball game Tuesday, Talk n Text coach Norman Black said: “It was a hard-fought game, and San Mig came out on top. We’ve got to put this one behind us.”

Then he pleaded for a better officiating.

“I hope that the game is governed well to be given a fair chance of winning. Contacts should be called evenly on both ends,” he said. “If you call a foul on one team, the same contact should be called on the other end. That’s the fairness of competitive sport and fairness of the game.”

Asked to cite specific plays, Black said they would need to review the videos first.

But Black might better focus on mapping out game plan or they put to naught their dominant run in the tourney.

Notes: The PBA Commissioner’s Office is to review the video of the scuffle that erupted on the Meralco-Alaska Milk tune-up game Tuesday and would issue sanctions if warranted. “For sure, the Commissioner’s Office will summon the players involved to shed light on the incident,” said PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial. Witnesses said Alaska import Bill Walker and Meralco’s Danny Ildefonso were the main protagonists in the fight marring the heated tune-up match. Alaska coach Luigi Trillo said their own video showed Meralco gunner Gary David also sneaking in with a punch on Walker.