By Reuel Vidal

THE semifinals of the KFC-Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup open today at the Araneta Coliseum with the Alaska Aces looking for some payback when they meet the defending champion Sta. Lucia Realtors in the 5 p.m. opening match.

The San Miguel Beermen battle the Talk N Text Tropang Texters in the 7:30 p.m. main game.

Alaska Aces mentor Tim Cone said the Aces are eager to redeem themselves against the Realtors, who eliminated the Aces in seven games during the semifinals of the 2008 Philippine Cup en route to the title.

?It?s a little poetic that we?re facing Sta. Lucia,? said Cone. ?They?ve been our ?contra-pelo? and even knocked us out of the semifinals in the last All-Filipino Conference. So this series gives us a chance to find redemption and see if we?ve improved over the past year. It will be a great series.?

Alaska Aces team captain Jeff Cariaso confessed that the whole team is eager to face the defending champion Realtors.

?It?s only fitting that the way to the Philippine Cup crown is through the Sta. Lucia Realtors,? said Cariaso. ?After all, they are the defending champions. If we want the PBA Philippine Cup championship, then we should face them first.?

This year, the Aces are a lot bigger than last year?s team which lost to the Realtors. The Aces have added a pair of 6?7? behemoths in Joe Devance and Ervin Sotto.

?Yes, they beat us last time we met in a playoff last year, but we are a better team now than before,? said Cariaso. ?The players have had more experience playing together and we are bigger now with the addition of Joe and Ervin. We are a better match in terms of size against them.?

The Aces beat the Realtors, 95-89, in their first meeting this season last Nov. 7 at the Cuneta Astrodome. The Realtors returned the favor with a 92-80 victory on Nov. 28 at the Antipolo Ynares Center.