Front-runners, tailenders clash today

It will be a battle between the top two teams on one side and the two teams down in the cellar on the other side today in the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

San Miguel Beer and Alaska Milk, running one and two in the race for two automatic slots in the quarterfinals, clash in the 7:10 p.m. main game after FedEx and Sta. Lucia Realty, at the tailend of the pack both with only one win to show thus far, collide in the 4:45 p.m. curtain-raiser.

Talk n Text and Purefoods, two teams in the middle of the standings, meanwhile, depart for Tacloban City where they mix it up in a road game at the New Tacloban City Astrodome tomorrow.

At the Big Dome today, the Aces take their turn in testing the mettle of Art Long and the Beermen.

Long will again spearhead San Miguel’s bid as he was spared suspension and was merely fined following a run-in with Sta. Lucia’s Marlou Aquino at halftime of their game last Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Enjoying its finest start in a tournament since a 10-game sweep of the Open Conference eliminations in its grand slam year in 1989, San Miguel is looking for win No. 8 against Alaska.

But despite an amazing seven-game run, San Miguel coach Jong Uichico insists they have yet to achieve anything and his players have to stay focused on the job at hand.

Uichico maintained his import became so frustrated in their match against Sta. Lucia last Sunday with the Beermen"taking things for granted being on top with a 6-0 card."

"The boys have to realize 6-0 doesn’t get you anywhere. We still have long way to go," said Uichico.

But how important is a 6-0 start as far as history is concerned? Record shows nine of the last 10 teams which had made at least such a start went on to win the championship. San Miguel is in an amazing romp it won its first seven games by an average margin of 15.4 points.

With its hulking import sitting down a seven-minute stretch in the fourth quarter versus Sta. Lucia, San Miguel still found a way to win with Danny Seigle and Danny Ildefonso making the difference.

Versus Alaska, Uichico said: "Alam mo naman ang team ni coach Tim (Cone) habang tumatagal lalong gumagaling. At medyo lamang sila since they had so much time to prepare for this game. Kami practically one day lang ang preparation for this match."