INQUIRER Sports

IN ANY TOURNAMENT, it's always thrilling to see how the race is unfolding among the leaders. No matter what format is used, it?s engaging to follow the elite squads roll over the lesser teams and collide against their equals.

But it?s always intriguing to look at the bottom of the totem pole to check the teams trying to catch up with the middle of the pack.

In the ongoing KFC-PBA Philippine Cup, the top of the standings has Alaska, Talk ?N Text, Barangay Ginebra, Purefoods and Sta Lucia as among the early frontrunners. Alaska at 4-0 is playing exceptionally well, prompting many to recall the years when Tim Cone had a lineup featuring Johnny Abarrientos, Jeffrey Cariaso, Jojo Lastimosa, Rene Hawkins Jr. and Poch Juinio.

The backcourt duo of Willie Miller and LA Tenorio is a prime candidate to be one of the greatest tandems in PBA history in the mold of a Jaworski-Arnaiz, Fabiosa-Co or even Helterbrand and Caguioa of recent vintage.

Miller is among the scoring leaders of the league and Tenorio is the lieutenant making sure that the triangle offense starts and finishes well.

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At the bottom, there?s a struggle for Rain or Shine and Coca-Cola to sneak into the win column and to start a winning run before games run out and the complications of the tournament format kick in.

This week Rain or Shine slipped to 0-4 after losing to Barako Bull, and Coke is hobbling along at 0-3.

Barako Bull seemed destined to be in the same lot but wins against Rain or Shine and Coca-Cola have boosted their confidence. The Energy Boosters are playing .500 ball but the real tests come in the days ahead when Ginebra, Talk ?N Text and San Miguel wait for them.

Coca-Cola and Rain or Shine desperately need an orchestra conductor on the floor to direct the offense. The lack of a consistent court general has resulted in ball-handling problems and shot selection.

Coca-Cola is turning over the ball 27 times per game (league worst) while Rain or Shine has averaged 22 (second worst).

Shot selection and conversion is another problem. Coke is shooting only 38 percent while Rain or Shine is dead last in accuracy with 36 percent.

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For Rain or Shine, there is a need for a point guard who will sacrifice his own offense to get the regular gunners the ball where they can be most effective.

Coca-Cola has guards in Marvin Cruz, Chris Ross and Alex Cabagnot but they still need seasoning against the solid defenses the leading teams play.

Some tweaking will have to be done not only in identifying that point person but also in reviewing how their offense flows.

The defensive intensity quotient will also have to be checked because Coca-Cola has allowed as many as 92 points to be scored against them, while Rain or Shine has allowed 90.

A little too much when you consider that Talk ?N Text leads in limiting opponents to only 76 points per game (except, of course, in that game last Wednesday won by San Miguel over the Tropang Texters, 100-90).

In a tournament format where the last-placed team will be out of the playoffs, the Elasto Painters or the Tigers don?t want to have that horrible fate.

They need to smoothen out the rough edges of their games before it's too late.