For SMB and TnT, a win today brings hope

TNT KaTropa and San Miguel Beer clash in the Petron Blaze road showdown in the PBA Governors Cup elimination round, bringing their stuffs in a crucial match at the Calasiao Sports Center in Calasiao, Pangasinan Saturday.

The Texters and the Beermen face off at 5 p.m. in a showdown between two teams straddling in the middle of the chart but still hoping to salvage a spot in the Top Four at the end of the single-round-robin elims.

Coach Bong Ravena and his TNT troops are sizzling on a threegame run while coach Leo Austria and his SMBeermen are back on the winning track after a vital 117-100 rout of the Phoenix Fuel Masters the last time out.

TNT is at sixth place with an even 4-4 win-loss slate while SMB is a half-game behind at 3-4.

Both are coming into the game fresh from a long breather. The Beermen will have fresh legs from a weeklong respite while the Texters are off a much longer break, having been idle since a 104-102 squeaker over the NorthPort Batang Pier on Sept. 30.

That 18-day breather could well be beneficial for the Texters as they are working on a new system under Ravena and new coaching consultant Mark Dickle.

After a three-game romp over the Columbian Dyip, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and the Batang Pier, the Texters are up for a tough test against the Beermen.

The Beermen have regained their bearing the last time out, snapping a three-game losing skein with a 17-point blasting of the Fuel Masters.