WITH their intact solid rosters, San Miguel Beer, Barangay Ginebra and TNT KaTropa are the consensus top picks in PBA Season 43 that unwraps Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen, the Kings and the Texters are the unanimous choices among the league governors who sat down together during the official season launch at Okada Manila in Paranaque.
The three teams are the heavy favorites, coming from their dominant showings last season. San Miguel reigned supreme in the Philippine Cup and in the Commissioner's Cup, Ginebra ruled in the Governors Cup while TNT KaTropa made the semifinals of all three conferences and grabbed first runner-up honors in the Commissioner's Cup.
"It will be a tossup among San Miguel, Ginebra and TNT," said incoming PBA board chairman Ramoncito Fernandez.
Outgoing chair Mikee Romero delivered the welcome remarks, and stressed "PBA is business as usual."
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"Hindi pwedeng mawala ang PBA sa mga Filipino, at ang mga Filipino sa PBA. The PBA 43rd season is opening come Dec. 17. It's a promise that didn't come just from me. It's from all the 12 PBA teams. I'm just the speaker of the 12 teams," said Romero in the well-attended preseason media conference.
Also gracing the event were PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa, Ginebra's Alfrancis Chua, San Miguel's Robert Non, Magnolia's Rene Pardo, GlobalPort's Erick Arejola, Kia's Bobby Rosales, Alaska Milk's Dickie Bachmann, Rain or Shine's Mert Mondragon, Phoenix Fuel's Raymond Zorrilla, Blackwater's Silliman Sy, TNT KaTropa's Magnum Membrere, Meralco's Ryan Gregorio and NLEX's Ronald Dulatre.
Among these PBA officials, the Beermen, the Kings and the Texters are the teams to reckon with in the coming season.
"TNT has an intact lineup, and they have big men who can match up with June Mar (Fajardo). Same with Ginebra," said Non.
"It's San Miguel, then Ginebra and TNT. Mahusay silang lahat," said Mondragon.
Among those mentioned as dark horses are GlobalPort, NLEX, Star and Alaska Milk.
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"NLEX has performed well from last conference, and they're improving," said Rosales of his opinion agreed upon by Membrere.
"If you know your basketball, you'll really point to SMB, Ginebra and TNT as the favorites. Pero ang tingin kong dark horse eh GlobalPort," said Pardo.
Gregorio and Mondragon played down the chances of their teams as they're heavily hit by injuries.
Rain or Shine is plagued by injuries to Raymond Almazan, Jericho Cruz, James Yap and Jireh Ibanes while Meralco is beset by health woes of Ranidel de Ocampo, Reynel Hugnatan and Cliff Hodge.
Chua believes it's Ginebra over San Miguel at least until the arrival of top pick Christian Standhardinger.
"Di pa malakas ang San Miguel. Lalakas yan pagdating ni Standhardinger," said Chua.
Standhardinger will only be free to join San Miguel at the end of his tour of duty with the Hong Kong Eastern Lions in the Asean Basketball League.
