TALK N Text, the only unbeaten team halfway thorugh the elimination round, and San Miguel Beer, the winningest team in league history, clash today in the highly-anticipated battle of heavyweights in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym. in Bacolor, Pampanga.
The Tropang Giga and the Beermen take the floor in the second game of a hectic three-game schedule in the historic municipality known as the "Athens of Pampanga".
Buoyed by their finest start in a conference under veteran coach Chot Reyes, the Tropang Giga will be gunning for their seventh straight win and a step closer to a quarterfinals berth.
Talk N Text defeated two league heavyweights in second-running Meralco and Magnolia as part of its three-game sweep last week and now hopes to add another biggie in San Miguel.
Reyes, however, said there's no reason to feel content.
"We're still a work in progress," said the comebacking Reyes, whose team is now hoping to become the first team to the next round.
"We're not thinking of the record or anything else except to get better. We're a work in progress and that's how I keep the team on an even keel to let them know that it's very early in the season and we have to continue to find ways to keep getting better, " added Reyes.
As of now, eight wins are needed to gain guaranteed entry into the quarterfinals, although six victories may be enough to advance in a 12-team field.
Leading Talk N Text's charge are veterans Jayson Castro, Kelly Williams, RR Pogoy and Troy Rosario and prized rookie Mikey Williams.
Beating San Miguel, however, is easier said than done.
The Beermen will rely on old reliables June Mar Fajardo, Arwind Santos, Terrence Romeo, Mo Tautuaa and CJ Perez as they hope to bounce back from a heartbreaking 104-110 loss to Terrefirma in overtime last Wednesday.
In other games, Magnolia Pambansang Manok battles NLEX at 12:30 p.m. and Rain or Shine meets Barangay Ginebra at 6 p.m.
A win by the Hotshots in their mid-day showdown against NLEX would erase the stigma of their 76-83 loss to Talk N Text last Sunday.
But they have todo it against an NLEX team gunning for a fourth straight win and fifth in seven games overall.
Magnolia coach Chito Victolero hopes the one-day break after playing three games in five days since the tournament's resumption last week would help the team.
" I think we had a good rest yesterday (Monday) and naka-recover naman so today nag-light practices lang kami," said Victolero. Ed Andaya

Mark Barroca of Magnolia looks to score against Kelly Williams of Talk N Text. PBA photo
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