Games Sunday (Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. — Rain or Shine vs San Miguel
6:30 p.m. — Barako Bull vs Talk ’N Text

MANILA, Philippines — Powerhouse San Miguel Beer tries to extend its league-best winning streak to six games against Rain or Shine in the PBA Philippine Cup this Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen and the Elasto Painters clash in the curtain raiser at 4 p.m., preceding the 6:30 p.m. game between Talk ’N Text and Barako Bull.

San Miguel Beer is currently on top with a 6-1 win-loss record after Talk ’N Text fell to 5-2 following a 104-97 loss to defending champion B-Meg Derby Ace Friday night.

Barangay Ginebra improved to 5-2 after beating Air21, 107-81, also last Friday.

The Beermen are unbeaten in their last five games, or since ex-pro Ato Agustin took over as mentor. They are coming off an 86-77 victory over newcomer Meralco.

Prior to that, Alex Cabagnot came through with buzzer-beating baskets for the Beermen’s twin triumphs.

Cabagnot’s running jumper with 0.3 seconds left handed SMB a 99-97 win over Fiesta Cup champion Alaska. A reverse lay-up by Cabagnot at the buzzer helped his team beat the Llamados, 85-83.

Aside from Cabagnot, SMB’s powerhouse lineup also includes wingmen Arwind Santos and Jay Washington, as well as gunners Dondon Hontiveros and Joseph Yeo, and for Rain or Shine head coach Caloy Garcia, the only way to compete against a team like this is to play defense.

“San Miguel is the most talented team in the league right now,” he said. “We need to play good defense to be able to compete with them.”

“Rebounding will also be a big factor. We need to outhustle them on the boards for us to make a run,” Garcia added.

Rain or Shine won its previous game against Barako Bull (98-86), where Smart-Gilas Pilipinas bound Solomon Mercado fired 21 points and Jay-R Reyes contributed 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Together with Gabe Norwood, the same effort is expected from them to win against SMB.

Agustin said he expects his team to work on defense.

“Sa offense naman wala kaming problema, siguro we have to be more precise in our execution. But what we really need to improve is defense, may magkakataon kasi na nagre-relax, so dapat work hard lang kami sa depensa,” Agustin said.

In the other game, both Barako Bull and Talk ’N Text hope to bounce back from previous setbacks.

“We allowed B-Meg to outwork us and outthink us,” said TNT mentor Chot Reyes, who will coach the team for the last time before he joins Smart-Gilas as consultant in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China from Nov. 12 to 27.

“Let’s see if we’ve learned our lessons.”

Source:By WAYLON GALVEZ
November 6, 2010,