After two weeks of PBA Philippine Cup action, it was a well-deserved break for all teams to refresh and recalibrate. Teams that were eliminated early in the past conference have shown signs of life and position themselves as contenders.
With Grand Slam-seeking TNT Tropang 5G and Barangay Ginebra set to debut in this week's slate of games, let's assess where teams currently stand in the early part of the Philippine Cup: Who's rising, who's struggling, and who's still figuring things out.
1. TNT Tropang 5G (0-0) ; Previous ranking: 1
Until proven otherwise, the recent success of TNT in this season still makes them the favorite to win another championship -- even without import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Their quest to achieve the coveted Grand Slam will start on Wednesday against the NLEX Road Warriors.
2. Magnolia Hotshots (3-0) ; Previous ranking: 8
An encouraging start by Magnolia this conference has quickly made them a team to watch. With their trademark defense still as tenacious as ever, the Hotshots have also shown noticeable improvement on offense. They have moved beyond their usual post-heavy sets and have embraced a more dynamic, balanced attack. This has been a key factor in their unblemished 3-0 record.
Two players have stood out in fueling this offensive boost: Jerom Lastimosa and Zav Lucero. The young duo has injected much-needed playmaking and versatility into the lineup, complementing an aging Mark Barroca and filling gaps left by some of the veterans. This impact was on full display in the win over San Miguel, where Lucero dropped 24 points on a 52.5 TS%, while Lastimosa added 21 points and five assists.
As of this writing, Magnolia leads the league in effective field goal percentage at 53.3% -- a clear sign that the team is finding the right balance between offensive efficiency and defensive grit.
3. Barangay Ginebra (0-0) ; Previous ranking: 3
Despite recent disappointments in the past two conferences, it's hard to deny that Ginebra may have the most talented local roster in the league. That depth and star power will be put to the test as they make their conference debut this week against a struggling Terrafirma squad - a matchup that should give them a chance to set the tone early and shake off any lingering rust.
4. San Miguel Beermen (2-1) ; Previous ranking: 6
San Miguel looked poised to make an early statement as a Philippine Cup contender -- that is until old habits resurfaced late in their loss to Magnolia. Still, there are signs of progress.
Beyond the usual production from CJ Perez and June Mar Fajardo, Juami Tiongson has emerged as a steady starting point guard, averaging 13.7 points on an efficient 65.2% true shooting. Don Trollano, despite struggling from deep, has chipped in 11 points per game off the bench and added a much-needed scoring lift.
However, Magnolia's defense exposed cracks in their stars. Fajardo posted 17 points and 17 boards but shot just 35.3% from the field. Perez, meanwhile, added 14 points and six assists but committed seven turnovers. Credit Magnolia's defense, but if San Miguel hopes to reach the mountain top again, better performances from their stars is prerogative against elite teams.
5. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (1-1); Previous ranking: 5
Among the injury-riddled teams hovering in the middle of the standings, Rain or Shine has shown the most promise, particularly with their steady improvement over two games. While their recent win came against an equally depleted NorthPort squad, the strides they've made on both ends are notable.
Offensively, in this win, Rain or Shine put up 113 points despite shooting just 14.6% from 3 on a wild 48 attempts. The key? Dominance inside. They outscored NorthPort 62-48 in the paint and 27-6 in second-chance points. On defense, they took advantage of Arvin Tolentino's absence and held NorthPort to 42.2% shooting and forcing 24 turnovers.
One player who's stepped up amid frontcourt injuries is Caelan Tiongson, averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 55.1 TS% -- a welcome boost for a team searching for stability in this position early in the conference.
6. Meralco Bolts (2-2) ; Previous ranking: 2
The conference started strong for Meralco, with a thrilling comeback win over fellow contender Converge and a convincing rout of Terrafirma. But things quickly took a turn, as they dropped back-to-back games: A finals rematch loss to San Miguel and a stunning defeat to Phoenix.
Defense, once the hallmark of Meralco's championship run, remains the biggest indicator of their success. In wins, they've held opponents to just 84.5 points on 42.8% shooting and 20.5% from three. In losses, those numbers ballooned to 109.5 points, 53.4% shooting, and 42.5% from deep.
If Meralco hopes to defend their Philippine Cup crown, shoring up their defense will be crucial -- especially with the league's second-best offense already in place.
7. Converge FiberXers (2-2) ; Previous ranking: 4
The new coaching regime at Converge, coupled with the absence of star guard Jordan Heading, has been anything but ideal. So far, the team appears to be searching for an identity, evident in the constant rotation of starting lineups -- a different one in each game of the conference.
This has now impacted their offense, which was once a strength in previous conferences. Converge currently ranks third to last in points per game and dead last in true shooting percentage -- clear signs of an offense struggling to find rhythm and efficiency.
Alec Stockton's shooting woes have added to the problem, as he's averaging just 11.8 points on a rough 42.5 TS%. With little perimeter production from the team and most of the scoring burden falling on the shoulders of big men Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar, Converge will need to find answers fast to stay competitive with tougher games ahead of them.
8. NorthPort Batang Pier (1-1) ; Previous ranking: 7
It's tough to gauge NorthPort after just two games, especially with their best player Arvin Tolentino sidelined in the recent loss to Rain or Shine. Still, it's worth monitoring if certain trends are beginning to emerge for some of their key contributors.
After a strong showing in the Commissioner's Cup, Joshua Munzon has had a rough start to this conference, struggling from beyond the arc at just 12.5% on 16 attempts -- a continuation of his 12.2% clip from deep in the Governors' Cup.
On a brighter note, they welcomed back Jio Jalalon in that loss, and he turned in a solid performance with 11 points, six assists, and two steals. His return adds stability to their backcourt, and NorthPort will need his two-way presence as they try to find their footing and continue to stamp themselves as a regular contender in the league.
9. NLEX Road Warriors (1-1) ; Previous ranking: 9
Even after a strong win over Rain or Shine, NLEX will take a hit in the rankings among the teams tied at .500, simply because we need to see more consistent performances. If anything, it showed a glimpse of their potential when they're not overly reliant on Robert Bolick.
Though it's a small sample size, NLEX currently leads the league in 3-point shooting at 37%. The catch? They attempt only 23 triples per game - the third-lowest mark in the conference - which limits the impact of that efficiency.
The question moving forward is whether they can sustain this shooting level, especially from key floor-spacers like Xyrus Torres and Anthony Semerad, to keep defenses honest and open up their offense.
10. Phoenix Fuel Masters (1-2) ; Previous ranking: 10
If there's one word to describe Phoenix's roster, it's promising. They've got a surplus of young talent with high ceilings -- and one of them is beginning to break out this conference: Kai Ballungay.
Logging 37.3 minutes per game is already notable, but Ballungay has more than earned that trust from head coach Jamike Jarin. He's averaging 18.7 points and 11.7 rebounds while shooting an impressive 65.8% on two-pointers. Another rising piece in their core is Tyler Tio, who's putting up 14.7 points and 3.7 assists on an efficient 61.4 TS%
With the return of Jason Perkins, Phoenix becomes a much tougher out - just ask Meralco. Keep an eye on them as a frisky team that can create a logjam for a playoff spot in this conference.
11. Terrafirma Dyip (1-2) ; Previous ranking: 12
Expectations are definitely low for Terrafirma, so getting a breakthrough win in their first game was a big bonus. However, the past two games showed that they have the same problems they had before.
Offense after the Phoenix game sputtered, emphasized by their second worst offense in the league at 83.3 points per game and having the lowest number of assists at only 15.7 per contest. The hope and bright spot now for Terrafirma is the continuous development of Louie Sangalang, who has posted numbers of 18 points and 6.3 rebounds.
12. Blackwater Bossing (0-2) ; Previous ranking: 11
Uninspiring basketball was once again on display for Blackwater, suffering two brutal losses with an average deficit of 26.5 points. What's particularly concerning is their tendency to stay competitive in the first half, only to collapse after halftime. They trailed Magnolia by just seven at the break before allowing a 32-20 third quarter that broke the game open. They even led Converge by three after the first quarter before being outscored by 34 the rest of the way.