TnT, Alaska boost outright semis bids

MANILA, Philippines - Four teams whose bids are still in the balance see action in a crucial double-header in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum tonight.

Alaska Milk clashes with Rain or Shine at 5 p.m. then Talk n Text tangles with B-MEG Derby Ace at 7:30 p.m. in key matches marking the fourth to last play date of the short single-round-robin elimination phase.

The Tropang Texters and the Aces step up their bids for outright passage into the semifinals while the Elasto Painters and the Llamados resume their chase for a seat in the quarterfinals.

Only two things are certain at the moment – San Miguel Beer (1-7) is out of the playoff race and Smart Gilas (7-1) is guaranteed of a semis slot.

Rain or Shine boots out two other teams in Meralco (2-6) and Powerade (2-6) if it’s able to check its four-game slide and beat Alaska Milk.

A win by the Elasto Painters tonight renders non-bearing the Meralco-Smart Gilas tiff in Tacloban, Leyte tomorrow.

Rain or Shine is the odds-on pick versus an Alaska team playing minus import LD Williams in their important match. Williams serves his one-game suspension incurred on his flagrant foul on Macmac Cardona in their game last week.

Alaska coach Tim Cone, however, is confident they can compete even without Williams.

“It’s just another game and we’ll be there to battle,” said Cone whose team is looking to get going to stay in contention for an outright semis berth.

But the fight for the two automatic slots in the semis is over should Alaska lose to Rain or Shine and Talk n Text beat Derby Ace.

In that scenario, Smart Gilas and Talk n Text get the first two semis berths while Alaska Milk and Barangay Ginebra settle for slots in the quarters.

Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes foresees a tough battle with Derby Ace.

“It’s going to be an intense battle between one team trying to make the semis versus another trying to make the playoffs. Two different motivators - who will want it more?” said Reyes.

Reyes and his team set out for the game riding the momentum of a hot six-game winning streak.