2007-08 Philippine Cup Power Rankings (Oct 14-21, 2007)

1. Purefoods (2-0, won over Sta. Lucia and Talk N Text)
The Giants eked out two very impressive victories over the new-look Sta. Lucia Realtors and the powerhouse Talk N Text team. That stretches their winning streak to seven games if you count the preseason games. Coach Ryan Gregorio is worried that his team is peaking too early. In both wins they were down by double digits but made a run in the second half to turn the game around. Will the Giants' luck continue to hold out? Are they for real? Answers will be known Friday when they face also an undefeated team in Magnolia.

2. Magnolia (2-0, won over Air21 and Sta. Lucia)
Magnolia won the inaugural game against the Gary David-less Air21 Express. Danny Seigle (28 pts), Enrico Villanueva (20 pts, 15 rebs, 2 blks) and Dondon Hontiveros (15 pts) negated the 32-point explosion by the Express' KG Canaleta to give the win to the Beverage Masters. Last Sunday, they won a close match against the Realtors. Magnolia, the pre-tournament favorite to win the Philippine Cup crown, has one assignment next week - Purefoods (yes, their pre-season tormentors), and if they successfully hurdle the Giants, they'll be on top of the heap.

3. Brgy Ginebra (1-0, won over Red Bull)
The Gin Kings did not have Rudy Hatfield (did not sign) and Eric Menk (injured) but the team still managed to outrebound the very tough, and very tall Red Bull side, 56-48. The Gin Kings led by as much as 23 points in the first half before a big Red Bull run nearly turned the tables around. Mark Macapagal (21 pts) was huge in that game and the Gin Kings hope he will continue to show the same kind of aggressiveness every time out. They face Talk N Text on Wednesday.

4. Talk N Text (1-1, won over Alaska, lost to Purefoods)
After winning a close contest against the 2006-07 Fiesta Cup champions Alaska Aces, the Phonepals were expected to run roughshod over the Purefoods TJ Giants in Dumaguete. They instead got the surprise of their lives. After leading by as much as 16 points in the first period, the Phonepals' guns went blank and allowed Purefoods to get back into the game. The Phonepals are the league's strongest team on paper, however, if they can't translate those into wins, some heads are definitely gonna roll.

5. Air21 (1-1, lost to Magnolia, won over Alaska)
Air21 continues to be one of the league's most exciting teams. They won the offensive onslaught against the Aces after losing their first game to Magnolia. The Express does not have Mythical Team member Gary David (well, it's becoming a habit David sitting out of the Philippine Cup) who will be sitting out the remainder of the tournament due to an injury but they have enough firepower in KG Canaleta, Wynne Arboleda, Ranidel de Ocampo and Arwind Santos to remain a force to reckon with.

6. Sta. Lucia (0-2, lost to Purefoods and Magnolia)
Losing two hard-fought games against the league leaders Purefoods and Magnolia should give the Realtors something to look forward to. They nearly won both games but faltered under pressure. Against Purefoods, they were leading by as much as 16 points in the third before succumbing in the fourth. Against Magnolia, they were ahead by 3 points during the last two minutes of the ballgame but allowed the Beverage Masters to overtake them and eventually win the game. The Realtors have shown have shown that they are a force but until they win games, they'll remain just like that, a darkhorse.

7. Coca-Cola (1-0, won over Welcoat)
The Tigers won the battle of the tailenders but you may be forgetting that the Dragons did not have Joe Devance in the second half of that game. John Arigo (26 pts) and rookie Ronjay Buenafe (16 pts) carried the scoring torch to rally the Tigers over the Welcoat Dragons. The Tigers need to turn their game a notch above in order to stay in the running. They have a lot of young guys on their roster but big men Ali Peek and Mark Telan will be the fulcrum on where the Tigers eventually land. Telan has been awesome in his Coca-Cola debut (12 pts, 14 rebs) but he must continue to do that on a consistent basis.

8. Red Bull (0-1, lost to Brgy. Ginebra)
The Barakos are a tough nut to crack. Already losing Larry Fonacier (traded), Rich Alvarez (injury), and a conference before them, Enrico Villanueva (traded), the Barakos have shown that they are a team that should not be taken lightly. Expected to carry the scoring cudgels for the team is the exciting Cyrus Baguio, who may be on the verge of gaining "Star" status in the league. Junthy Valenzuela remains to be the team's silent leader and their "heart and soul". Red Bull will always be around. They have fighting heart and the never-say-die attitude that is known to Yeng Guiao's teams.

9. Alaska (0-2, lost to Talk N Text and Air21)
Losing two successive games does not augur well in the Aces' campaign for back-to-back crowns. The matches against the Phonepals and the Express were heartbreaking. They had a chance to seal wins on both games but just couldn't seem to do it. Willie Miller is playing like a true MVP, leading the tournament in scoring with 34 ppg but he is currently not getting any help. Jeffrey Cariaso, Mike Cortez, Sonny Thoss and Tony de la Cruz must take their games a level up in order for the Aces to have a chance at the crown.

10. Welcoat (0-1, lost to Coca-Cola)
Losing Joe Devance in their first game was tough. They have high expectations this year, with the kind of buildup they have undertaken in the offseason. Nic Belasco has rekindled back the magic in his game and Jay-R Reyes has continued his ascent to the league's upper echelons of big men. They nearly won the game against the Tigers but lost steam in the stretch. The Dragons' fortunes will revolve around the health of their sensational Fil-Am rookie. If Devance plays, they have a chance. If he does not, they will have a hard time against the competition, but they're expected a cinch to improve on their 7-win performance last season.