By Reuel Vidal

IT will be ultimate showdown when the best defensive team in the Alaska Aces and the best offensive team in the Talk N Text Tropang Texters clash for the championship of KFC-Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup, 7:30 p.m., at the Araneta Coliseum today.

San Miguel Beer and dethroned champion Sta. Lucia square off in a one-game playoff for third place at 5 p.m.

Alaska is limiting opponents to a conference-low 83.8 points per game, which is the lowest scoring average for a team?s opponents since Purefoods held foes to just 83.4 ppg en route to the 2006 Philippine Cup title.

In addition to being the best defensive team, the Aces are also the most efficient offensive team converting a league-best 36 percent of their 3-point shots and a league-best 44.9 percent of their field goal attempts.

Talk N Text is the no. 1 team in scoring and the only team averaging at least 100 points a game this conference with its 100.5 ppg at the end of the semifinals.

The Aces advanced to the best-of-seven championship by qualifying outright to the semifinals, where they overcame the challenge of the defending champion Realtors in six games.

The Tropang Texters advanced to the championship also by qualifying outright to the semis, where they beat the San Miguel Beermen also in six games.

The Aces and the Tropang Texters meet in a playoff for the first time since the Aces won a Game 7 thriller to win the 2007 PBA Fiesta Cup championship. The Aces, who parade a virtually intact team from last year, will rely on 2007 Most Valuable Player Willie Miller, Sonny Thoss, LA Tenorio, Jeff Cariaso, Tony de la Cruz and Reynel Hugnatan and new acquisition Joe Devance.

In contrast, the Tropang Texters will field four rookies in Jared Dillinger, Jason Castro, Rob Reyes and Pong Escobal and new acquisition Ranidel de Ocampo. They join TNT stalwarts Jimmy Alapag, Harvey Carey, Yancy de Ocampo and Yousif Aljamal.

On a personal level, both Alaska mentor Tim Cone and TNT coach Chot Reyes will also be gunning for individual milestones. The four victories, which will hand the Alaska Aces the championship, will also propel Cone past Baby Dalupan, who has 601 wins, with the most PBA victories by a coach.

A title for Reyes makes him the only coach in the PBA to win titles with three different ballclubs. Reyes has previously won PBA titles as coach of Purefoods and Coca-Cola.

The Finals is supported by Alaska, Talk N Text, Dickies, Solar Sports, and the Araneta Center.

?Libre ka, ?pag Smart fan ka.?

PBA fans with Smart, Talk N Text and Red Mobile SIM cards are entitled to free Upper Box B tickets until Game 4 of the championship. Promo is good for first 1,500 fans only.