Dubai: Adding a historic grand slam to a list of already illustrious achievements is all Talk N Text point-guard Jimmy Alapag can think of, and this weekend's back-to-back face-off in Dubai against B-Meg and Ginebra will be a true measure of his side's chances.
Nine-times Philippine Basketball Association All Star Alapag, 33, will further cement his legacy this season should he lead his team to a Governors Cup triumph, having already secured the Philippine Cup and Commissioner's Cup — one of his finest seasons to date.
Rare treble
Such a treble has only been achieved by three teams in the 36-year history of the PBA. Crispa Redmanizers did it twice in 1976 and 1983, while San Miguel Beerman and Alaska Milkmen did it in 1989 and 1996.
There have been seven ‘pretenders' (winning two but not three) to date, two slipping up in the season-ending Governors Cup.
Captain Alapag, born in California and known as ‘Mighty Mouse', is keen to avoid a similar fate.
"It's definitely a great opportunity for the team," he told Gulf News.
"Given that only three teams have done it in almost 40 years means that just having an opportunity to do so is something special.
"But it's going to be tough, there's a lot of pressure and we're not getting ahead of ourselves."
Talk N Text have won three out of three fixtures so far in the competition, which returned after a nine-year hiatus this season.
They must get through this initial nine-team round-robin eliminator to reach the six-team semis and then the final in August.
Alapag, the husband of famed Filipina actress LJ Moreno, added: "There are a lot of championship calibre teams to face.
"Ginebra and B-Meg are just two of them — they're both strong sides.
"It's important, given that this conference is short, that we continue the good start."
Asked if the back-to-back fixtures they faced today and tomorrow were detrimental to the cause, Alapag, who's returning from a three-game ankle injury lay-off, added: "It's a huge challenge but this is our job, basketball is a business.
"The two games will be a true barometer of where we stand as a team and whether we can do it."
Talk N Text play B-Meg at Al Shabab Sports Club at 7.30pm today, before facing Barangay Ginebra Kings at 6pm tomorrow. Tickets range from Dh60 to Dh150.
