Games this Wednesday (Araneta Coliseum)
5:00 p.m. — Talk ’N Text vs Coca-Cola
7:30 p.m. — San Miguel vs Purefoods

Riding on a new-found confidence, San Miguel Beer shoots for its fifth straight win as the Beermen collide with the Purefoods Giants while the defending champions Talk ’N Text Phone Pals try to end a two-game losing run in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup this Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

After rebounding from a poor start – they lost their first two games – the Beermen square off with the Giants at 7:30 p.m. with odds almost even for the two sister teams.

Clashing at 5 p.m. are Coca-Cola Tigers and the Phone Pals.

Waking up from a long sleep, the Beermen went on to win their next four games – the latest was a masterful
88-69 win over the Sta. Lucia Realtors where new recruit Arwind Santos tallied 21 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and three blocks.

“Everyone is stepping up and bringing in their own contributions to the streak,” SMB head coach Siot Tanquincen said. “But it is early so we have to keep working to get better.”

The Beermen are so formidable that they won their last their game without several key players – Danny Ildefonso (ankle), Danny Seigle (back), and Jay Washington (knee) – due to various injuries.

With players like Santos, Denok Miranda, Dondon Hontiveros, Lordy Tugade, Jonas Villanueva, Mike Cortez, Dorian Peña and Mick Pennisi, the Beermen are expected to sustain the momentum they gained since beating Burger King.

But against the Giants, the Beermen must start hot and play solid defense inside the paint to throw their big men out of their comfort zones.

The Giants, on the other hand, are coming off a hard earned 108-102 win opposite the TNT Tropang Texters last Sunday.

Former La Salle stalwart Rico Maierhofer, the second overall pick in the previous Rookie Draft, had career-best with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four shot blocks as Purefoods claimed its third victory in five games.

Purefoods mentor Ryan Gregorio expects his team to show the same kind of intensity, particularly in the defensive end amd in the rebounding department after the Giants collected 56 rebounds while holding TNT to just 31.

"It's going to be an exciting game. We know how strong San Miguel is and they are showing that in their last four games," said Gregorio, who hopes to get solid numbers from his 1-2 punch in James Yap and Kerby Raymundo, KG Canaleta, Marc Pingris, Roger Yap, as well as Maierhofer.

The first game features teams eager to rebound from their recent setbacks, as Talk 'N Text (2-2) tries to bounce back from its painful loss to Purefoods, while Coke (1-3) hopes to redeem itself from a 93-98 defeat to Smart-Gilas in an exhibition game ast Friday.