Games Today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

3 p.m. — TNT vs. Magnolia (Best-of-Seven Series)
6 p.m.– Meralco vs. San Miguel (Best-of-Seven Series)

QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA — Defending champion Talk ‘n’ Text (TNT) moves closer to returning to the championship round as it pits its aggressive style against upstart Magnolia in the Final Four of what is considered the most prestigious conference of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

TNT Tropang Giga was first to enter the penultimate stage of the PBA Philippine Cup with its last win at the expense of the league’s newest squad, the Converge FiberXers, which the former Tropang Texters demolished, 116-95, in the playoffs.

On the other hand, the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots passed through the gauntlet and needed a miracle to avoid elimination in a hard-fought victory over a resilient North Luzon Express (NLEX) Road Warriors in overtime, 112-106.

Both teams finished with the same 8-3 win-loss card but Tropang Giga went on to secure the No. 2 seed which led to their easier path to the Final Four.

Tropang Giga and the Hotshots collide today at 3:00 in the afternoon, right before the main matchup between the San Miguel Beermen and the Meralco Bolts at 6:00 in the evening.

Both final four matchups are set for a thrilling best-of-seven series with the winner moving on to the next round, another best-of-seven championship series.

A far cry from TNT’s semifinal path, San Miguel Beer steamrolled its way to the top of the standings, crushing the Blackwater Bossing, 123-93, in the playoffs, and got the benefit of a few days of rest. With its loaded firepower in full display, the Beermen are favored to win against a Meralco team that is determined to give pinch-hitting coach Luigi Trillo a victory before resident coach Norman Black takes over the coaching chores again in Game 2.

Black is set to arrive on Wednesday next week, August 10, from the United States after attending to family matters with the death of his mom. His lead assistant coach, Ronnie Magsanoc, was supposed to take over the reins, but he himself had a prior commitment being the national coach of the Philippine 3×3 team to the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) Asia Cup.