By Ronnie Nathanielsz

BASKETBALL fans will get what they richly deserve in the PBA Philippine Cup finals when the two best teams in the league, based on their current lineups and form, meet in a best-of-seven championship series that has all the hallmarks of a classic.

That?s because of the quality of the players on both the Tropang Texters of Manuel V. Pangilinan and the Alaska Aces of Fred Uytengsu, plus the added dimension of two great coaches, who once worked together now lined up against each other on opposite ends.

In a small way, perhaps we helped push for Chot Reyes as Talk N Text head coach when governor and former chairman Ricky Vargas sought our advice on a new coach for their troubled team. We are proud of the fact we did, because we had faith in Reyes? abilities as a coach and a motivator and those qualities emerged in striking fashion in the semifinal series against San Miguel Beer.

To put it bluntly, Reyes out-coached Siot Tanquingcen in the entire series and showed that vital capacity to read situations and nuances of the game at particular points and adapt rather skillfully, if not brilliantly, to the needs of the moment.

Like we?ve mentioned before, Talk N Text has a superb roster loaded with players of remarkable skill in every position and with the kind of athleticism that only a team like Air21?soon to be named Burger King?can match. That?s why we have said?maybe to the discomfort of some of our friends?that the strategy in signing up 18 of the best young players from the collegiate ranks is to dry up the supply of talented rookies to the other PBA teams over the next couple of years, which would help Talk N Text dominate the PBA. We could be wrong, but that?s our reading of the recent moves regarding the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas national pool.

But while the Tropang Texters have a formidable lineup, they can never take Alaska for granted because with players like Willie Miller and Jeffrey Cariaso in the lineup, coach Tim Cone has two aces who could make the difference between winning and losing.

Beyond that, of course, is Cone himself. Throughout his coaching career in the PBA, Cone has been a consummate tactician who has had the ability to exact the best from the squad he has to work with, and that?s his forte.

In terms of sheer talent, very clearly in our minds, Reyes has a decided advantage, but offsetting that is the fact that Cone has players like Miller who can, single-handedly if he must, overcome the odds and carry the team on his shoulders.

To us, the thrust and parry, move and counter-move by the coaches may well be the scene-stealer in what promises to be a great series in a pure basketball sense. There may not be the screaming fans of JayJay Helterbrand and Barangay Ginebra or Danny Seigle and San Miguel Beer or the faithful followers of James Yap and Purefoods, but the sheer quality of the series should rise above all else and give genuine basketball fans a treat they have long deserved.

The only possible sour note is the officiating. Incompetence or whatever surfaced in the Talk N Text-San Miguel series and the disappointing aspect of all this was the fact that the technically top-rated referees are the ones who almost wrecked a great series and left hard-working commissioner Sonny Barrios more confused than ever.

Players, who mess up are penalized because?like the suspensions meted on Yancy and Ranidel de Ocampo?that is the rule. Maybe, it?s time to apply these same stringent standards when referees?especially the supposedly best among them?commit questionable if not dubious calls. We hope, for the sake of PBA fans, this won?t happen and we won?t be deprived of what could well be an excellent series, where two great coaches and two totally committed team owners go up against each other.