By NOLI CRUZ
NOT TOO long ago, they have a rivalry going. They figured in several championship and playoff battles just a few years back.
Now, they’re back on a familiar trail.
The Alaska Aces and the Coca-Cola Tigers are at it again, opening their best-of-five quarterfinal series in the Gran Matador Brandy 2006 PBA Philipine Cup today at the Araneta Coliseum.
Familiarity will never be an issue in this one.
Coca-Cola’s Johnny Abarrientos, John Arigo and Ali Peek will be going up against their former team, same with Alaska’s Jeffrey Cariaso, Bong Hawkins and Reynel Hugnatan.
They split their two meetings in the classification with the Tigers drawing first blood, 81-69 and the Aces exacting revenge in the second round, 84-72.
The Tigers have a distinct advantage in the shaded lane with Rafi Reavis and Peek alternating and sometimes combining forces in the middle.
With Don Allado no longer around, the Aces are more of a perimeter team now.
Willie Miller and Nic Belasco are doing well in Tim Cone’s triangle. Miller can slash and shoot and Belasco can post up and shoot.
Add Mike Cortez and Jeffrey Cariaso in the mix and the Aces may look like a combination of the Lakers and the Suns — a gang of shooters playing the triangle offense.
Tigers coach Binky Favis also has his band of sharpshooters, too. He has the reigning threepoint king in William Antonio and clutch gunner John Arigo on his artillery.
But there’s no way Favis will let his boys run and gun with the deep and talented Aces.
"Good things happen in our offense when we play good defense," Favis said.
More defense will be played in the other quarterfinal pair pitting two rugged teams – Barangay Ginebra and Red Bull.
The Kings are making an incredible run to defend their title so far. Incredible considering the series of injuries that hit them before the conference and along the way.
They’re the last team to check in, doing it by sweeping the wildcard phase without key players Romel Adducul, Andy Seigle, Rodney Santos and Aries Dimaunahan.
They also played without ace playmaker Jayjay Helterbrand in their last outing, a do-or-die overtime thriller against the Air21 Express.
On the bright side, Seigle, who tore an ACL last conference, has reportedly been activated by the Kings.
Even so, they will still have their hands full against the Bulls, who are eager to give coach Yeng Guiao his first All-Filipino championship.
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