It's offense vs defense as Beermen, Aces battle for PBA supremacy

Game Wednesday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

7 p.m. – San Miguel vs Alaska

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Basketball Association starts year 2015 with a bang as it features an explosive Philippine Cup title playoff between two great teams determined to rule the league once again.

Both teams have had their dominant PBA reigns with San Miguel Beer considered the mighty ruler of the 80s and Alaska Milk the undisputed kingpin of the 90s.

In this era of parity in the league, San Miguel and Alaska hope to relive their glorious past, slugging it out at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to begin best-of-seven showdown for the Philippine Cup crown.

They have a combined haul of 33 championships, but this is just the seventh time that they’re squaring off in the finals – and the first in the last 13 conferences.

And this is really something new. Just consider the new faces on both teams.

San Miguel is chasing a first crown with third year pro Junemar Fajardo and new coach Leo Austria while Alaska hopes to nail an early breakthrough under neophyte coach Alex Compton.

Both squads look to be the next PBA champ after Purefoods Star saw the end of its streak of four consecutive championships.

Odds are on San Miguel’s side as the Beermen topped the elimination round with a 9-2 win-loss record and roared to the finals with an amazing 4-0 sweep of the Talk n Text Tropang Texters in the semifinals.

Alaska took a longer and more difficult route to the finals after placing third in the elims, needing to get past NLEX and Meralco in the quarterfinals then Rain or Shine in six games in the semifinals.

But both teams are wary of one another.

“The way I see it, they have a big advantage on their great condition which they make good use on the way they play,” said Austria. “We have to be ready with their non-stop pressing defense.”

Obviously, they have two MVPs (Arwind Santos and Fajardo) surrounded by equally great players committed to play as a team,” said Compton.

“We still have to figure out if we have any edge. If we have superior strengths than them, we have to figure it out,” Compton added.

It’s easy to predict that San Miguel will bank on its superior offensive sock while Alaska will battle with its hard-nosed defense.

While Fajardo is likely to be the focal point of San Miguel’s offense, point guard Alex Cabagnot and gunners Arwind Santos, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz and Ronald Tubid will be as important.

“They beat us in the elims, and it’s our problem how to beat them. Their defense is different. From start to finish, they’re pressing defense is right there,” said Austria.

“We have to handle their trapping defense and their double-teaming defense on Junemar. No doubt, Junemar is our big advantage, but Junemar draws strength from the team. He can’t do it alone,” Austria also said.

The Aces, on the other hand, are saying no single player can stop the San Miguel behemoth.

“Good thing, basketball is a team game. It’s not just me, it’s not just Eric (Menk). All five players on the court will try to contain him,” said Alaska center Sonny Thoss.

Compton insisted San Miguel is not just about Fajardo.

“We can’t afford to let him have 30 points and 20 rebounds. Neither can we afford to let Arwind Santos have 25 points, and guys like Lassiter, Lutz, Tubid and Cabagnot to get their points,” said Compton.

Compton said they won’t deviate from their pressing defense. “That’s our only chance to beat them,” he said.

San Miguel eyes a fifth all-Filipino title and 20th overall while Alaska also shoots for a fifth all-Filipino crown and 15th in all.