Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

3 p.m. — San Miguel vs. Meralco (Game 4)
6 p.m. — Magnolia vs. TNT (Game 4)

QUEZON CITY, Metro Manila — At this point in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)’s Philippine Cup, defending champion Talk ‘n’ Text (TNT) Tropang Giga and the San Miguel Beermen hold a slight edge (2-1) in their respective best-of-seven semifinal duels.

And this will be the main concern of their respective opponents in Magnolia and Meralco as they tangle this afternoon in Game 4, to reset or even up things otherwise, TNT and SMB would inch closer to a finals matchup for the championship crown of the most prestigious tourney of the country’s premier professional league.
San Miguel Beer takes on Meralco today at 3 p.m. while TNT faces the Magnolia in the main game slated at 6 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Though both teams are ahead in the series, 2-1, they still are in for a tough time as their opponents have the capability of pulling off the proverbial rug from under their feet as proven in Game 2 of the series.

Game 3 of the TNT-Magnolia series was decided in the last few seconds of the match that could have gone either way even as the Beermen had to rely on their firepower to overhaul the Bolts to register their lead in the series.

Hotshot Mark Barroca’s jumper gave his team the go-ahead basket in the last 11 seconds, 92-90, but just when they were about to claim their second straight victory, Jayson Castro pulled out one of the best endgame performances of his career to hand over to TNT the win with just three seconds left in the game with a triple dagger.