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Friday, March 29, 2024

San Miguel Beer battles TNT KaTropa

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THE semifinals of the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup loom and powerhouse teams San Miguel Beer and TNT KaTropa clash in a projected blockbuster matchup.

Defending champion San Miguel is looking as dominant as ever, being armed with a nine-game winning streak and has only lost once all tournament long.

“It’s a good thing the semifinals are a best-of-seven. That will be a long series. That will give us a chance to make adjustments,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.

The top seed, who easily dispatched Rain or Shine, in just one game in the quarterfinals, is obviously the team to beat and the favored team in the last four.

Still, TNT KaTropa is expected to put up a challenge to the Beermen as they resume their rivalry.

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The Tropang Texters swept GlobalPort, 2-0, in the quarters to get to this point and it seems that they are finally getting into their groove as a unit.

San Miguel Beer forward Arwind Santos (right) dribbles past TNT KaTropa defender Moala Tautuaa. Defending Philippine Cup champion SMB continues its drive to retain the crown in a best-of-seven semifinal duel against TNT.

“We can’t sleep in this series at any point. San Miguel is San Miguel,” said TNT coach Nash Racela. “They’re such a powerhouse team. June Mar (Fajardo) is the focal point but everyone is playing well so that makes it even tougher.”

San Miguel and TNT KaTropa start their semis duel today at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Enthusiasts are expecting two epic best-of-seven affairs ahead as the teams who are still in the hunt parade battle-tested veteran players.

The most impressive teams for the last three weeks is without a doubt Star, who emerged emphatically as a title threat after rising from mediocrity.

It looks like the Hotshots are finally in sync as their six-game winning streak paved the way to their rennaisance and placed them back to the semis where they were so used to several years ago.

“We have to stay together as a team especially this semifinals. ‘Yun naman ang usapan namin,” said rookie Star coach Chito Victolero, who has impressed in his debut conference for the Hotshots.

What’s interesting for Star is that it will certainly face a rival either way.

The Hotshots await their opponent and it can either be Alaska or Barangay Ginebra.

As of this report, the Alaska and Ginebra are going all out as they battle for the last semis berth and the right to face Stat in the next round in a knockout game.

The Gin Kings made things interesting as they are the only lower seeded team to take a higher ranked foe to the brink of elimination.

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