IT'S a duel of champs that are both gathering steam as San Miguel Beer and TNT Tropang Giga clash in a big Sunday tiff in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
The Beermen, the Philippine Cup titlists fresh from a conquest of the Barangay Ginebra Kings, and the Tropang Giga, the Governors Cup titleholders on a two-game roll, slug it out in the 6:15 p.m. setto, with each side looking to sustain their push towards crashing the Top 4.
With their recent victories, the Beermen and the Tropang Giga caught with the Gin Kings at fifth place on their identical 4-3 win-loss cards, just half game behind the fourth-running NorthPort Batang Pier (5-3).
Coach Jorge Gallent's troops and interim mentor Jojo Lastimosa's crew are back in the thick of things, in stride in the race for the Top 4 which rewards a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.
A big boost for the Beermen was a 95-82 stoppage of the Gin Kings Friday while a giant push for the Tropang Giga were victories over the NLEX Road Warriors, 113-97 and the Blackwater Bossing, 105-96, over a stretch of three nights.
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In their crucial Sunday dispute, at stake is win No. 5 that not just lifts the victor to a tie for fourth with NorthPort but also gets it closer to the quarters.
And it's expected to be a slam-bang showdown with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson again leading the TNT charge against a San Miguel side that will continue to lean on Ivan Aska with his supposed replacement still nursing flu.
Bennie Boatwright, a teammate of Nick Rakocevik with the UST Trojans, flew in this week but couldn't get on board immediately as he fell ill shortly after his arrival.
Against Ginebra, Aska delivered just 10 points and eight rebounds against five turnovers, but the SMB locals were there to pick up the slack.
Chris Ross went 6-of-9 from the arc to highlight a 22-point explosion with the debuting Don Trollano and Jericho Cruz tossing in 16 points each.(SB)
