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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Marquee matchups in PBA semis

Marquee matchups in PBA semis

Published Feb 25, 2025 07:11 am

At A Glance

  • After a 16-day respite, the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup returns to action with a pair of marquee best-of-seven semifinals duel firing off on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The calm is over. Now here comes the storm.

After a 16-day respite, the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup returns to action with a pair of marquee best-of-seven semifinals duel firing off on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

 

PBA Images1 (93).jpg

The emerging rivalry between TNT and Rain or Shine is first to take the center stage in the first offering at 5 p.m. before familiar faces meet as Barangay Ginebra and NorthPort collide in the main event at 7:30 p.m.

Now in their third consecutive playoff meeting, the Tropang Giga and the Elasto Painters already know what to expect from each other but their race-to-four encounter is priming up to be an exciting collision as compared to the previous two.

TNT, bannered by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, is no doubt the favorite in the clash especially after winning convincingly against Rain or Shine, 4-1, in their semifinals matchup in the Governors’ Cup.

But neither the Elasto Painters nor any other team under fiery head coach Yeng Guiao are the type to cower against the mighty Tropa as they are pretty much used to playing the underdogs. 

They actually did it in the Philippine Cup when ROS booted TNT with a series reverse sweep, 2-1, in the quarterfinals last season.

And with the size advantage in import Deon Thompson as well as the emergence of Adrian Nocum as one of the team’s potent scorers, confidence is surely sky high for the Elasto Painters even if they are to be pitted against a veteran-laden TNT that boasts wealth of playoff experience in the likes of RR Pogoy, Calvin Oftana and Jayson Castro.

Meanwhile, it would be a reunion of sorts as Arvin Tolentino, the undisputed star and leader of NorthPort, tries to lead his team past his old pals at Ginebra which will be banner by import Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson along with RJ Abarrientos and Stephen Holt.

Rest is not a benefit that the Kings have, with Ginebra head coach Tim Cone, along with Thompson, Brownlee, Malonzo and Aguilar all busy with their Gilas Pilipinas duties during the third window of FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.

That should even make the matchup more difficult for Ginebra especially with NorthPort being known to be a very good run and gun team anchored on the trio of Tolentino, Joshua Munzon and Kadeem Jack and along their able supporting crew in Fran Yu, William Navarro and Evan Nelle.

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