TnT-QC seeks repeat in PBA Pilipinas meet

MANILA, Philippines - Barely rested after clinching their third straight Batang PBA Summer League championship on Sunday, the Batang Talk N’ Text-Quezon City take to the court again Tuesday to defend their title in the 2010 Powerade Batang PBA Pilipinas Championship.

Coached by Mark Herrera, the Batang Texters start their bid for a title repeat in the eight team tournament featuring champions from Metro Manila, Luzon Visayas and Mindanao against Powerade Batang Baguio at 8 a.m. at the old San Juan gym.

“We haven’t seen the other teams but we’ll do our best against them,” said Herrera of their chances to retain the crown.

Jolo Medoza, a 12-year-old student from Ateneo, will be the key for the Batang Texters. Named Most Valuable Player of the Coca-Cola Batang PBA Summer League, the 5-foot-5 Mendoza averages 32 points a game.

 He had a game-high 42 points in the team’s 104-62 win in the finale against the Derby Ace-Caloocan with John Vincent Gallego adding 26, Gian Robert Mamuyac 10 and Fran Louie Yu nine points.

Batang TNT-QC is bracketed with Powerade Batang Baguio, Powerade Batang Davao and Powerade Batang Bacolod in Group A while Batang B-Meg Derby Ace-Caloocan is in Group B along with Powerade Batang Batangas, Powerade Batang Cebu and Powerade Batang Zamboanga.

Tournament format requires teams in their respective groups to play each other in a single round elimination for a total of three games. The top two teams in each group advance to the crossover semifinals set on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The winners of the knockout semifinals will battle for the Powerade Batang PBA Pilipinas Championship in a winner-take-all match on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios and Coca-Cola governor Jose Bayani Baylon will grace today’s affair. The two officials will deliver a short message during the opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m.

The rest of today’s schedule of games are as follows: 10 a.m. Powerade Batang Zamboanga vs B-Meg Derby Ace-Caloocan, 11:30 a.m. Powerade Batang Bacolod vs Powerade Batang Davao and Powerade Batang Batangas vs Powerade Batang Cebu at 1:30 p.m.