In this season’s ongoing PBA KFC Philippine Cup, it looks like the traditionally strong teams are all ruling the roost.

San Miguel Beer, the best team of the decade 2000 – 2009 according to PBA commentator Jason Webb, earned the first outright semifinal berth and are on top of the standings with a 13 – 5 record. Newcomer Arwind Santos is cementing his status as the favorite to win the season’s Most Valuable Player award. He is averaging a legit double-double with over 19 points and 10 rebounds per game. He is the conference’s second leading scorer behind Mac Cardona of Talk N Text, and its third best rebounder behind Filipino-American big boys Kelly Williams of Santa Lucia Realty, and Asi Taulava of Coca Cola.

Santos came to San Miguel from Burger King, and the 6’5” forward seems fully energized by his new surroundings. More than the very good numbers, Santos has brought an athleticism and versatility to the San Miguel frontline they have not had since the heyday of two-time MVP Danny Ildefonso and Danny Seigle. He can play up to three positions, can cover any opponent on defense one-on-one, and has proven to be relentless off both boards. His arrival has taken a lot of pressure off the aging frontline players of San Miguel, and has opened the floor for the perimeter guys and even the younger players to operate.

Right behind the Beermen is another team with a proud championship history, the Alaska Aces. Alaska is trying to nail down the second outright semifinals berth. At 12 – 4 as of this writing, they are technically on top of the standings although San Miguel has one more win than they do. The Aces were stymied by Purefoods last week in their first attempt to get that magical 13th win. They will try to get that lucky number 13 win against the Burger King Whoppers. Willie Miller, the only two-time MVP of the last 10 years, seems to have found the fountain of youth. He and young gun LA Tenorio are among the conference’s Top 10 in scoring, and among the leaders in steals and assists. Miller is averaging over16 points per game while Tenorio is making nearly 15 markers per outing.

Miller and Tenorio have been fantastic to watch in the patented triangle offense of long-time head coach Time Cone. When both are on the floor, no one is certain who the pointguard is and who the off-guard is. Both are very quick, very agile and very slippery. Running the complicated weave in-weave out pattern along the opposite posts, Miller and Tenorio are at their best, either making easy penetration baskets or making dump passes to open cutters at difficult angles.

With that big win over the Aces, Purefoods is now up to 11 – 6 after a so-so start in this conference. Developments off the court seem to be affecting the overall game of the Tender juicy Giants. Superstar James Yap is still the leader of this team, and he is in the Top 10 in scoring with over 15 points per game. But his well publicized off-the-court travails have him playing below the par of a former MVP. Thankfully there have been plenty of guys providing energy, hustle and extra leadership for head coach Ryan Gregorio.

Versatile 6’7” big man Kerby Raymundo rounds out the Top 10 in scoring this conference with a little over 14 points per game. 6’8” newcomer Rafi Reavis may have abandoned the trademark headband he used to sport as a Gin King, but he is still among the most productive center-forwards in the league with over nine rebounds per game. His long limbs also allow him to swat shots and alter those he does not get to. Another athletic big man, 6’6” Jean Marc Pingris, has actually gotten more rebounds than Reavis, although Reavis made the Top 10 in terms of averages per game.

Waiting in the wings are the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings of head coach Jong Uichico, the man proclaimed by Webb as his coach of the decade. Injuries continue to be unkind to the Gin Kings, but this has not stopped them from putting on impressive runs. Although Mark Caguioa has once again been bitten by the injury bug, and Jay Helterbrand and Eric Menk have not been operating at 100%, Ginebra continues to find a lot of heroes on their substantial bench. JC Intal, Enrico Villanueva, Cyrus Baguio and Ronald Tubid have alternated at playing superstar. Running in third in the standings as of this writing at 12 – 6, they still have an outside chance of getting outright into the semifinals depending on how things work out with Alaska.

Speaking of Talk N Text and Cardona, the Tropang Texters are just about in the middle of the pack as the Number 5 team in the standings after hanging around the second and third spots in the early goings of the conference. Cardona, the conference’s top point producer, is joined in the scoring Top 10 by teammate Jimmy Alapag. Cardona is the only player thus far averaging 20 points per game, with Alapag tossing in over 15 points per contest. Hardworking blue-collar forward Harvey Carey has also been very active, coming in fourth in rebounds for the conference with over nine boards per game. Unfortunately for head coach Chot Reyes, his boys have been blowing hot and cold. In one game they can be truly devastating, and in another game they seem totally indifferent. At 11 – 7 they seem to be spinning their wheels.

Sta Lucia started off slow but are just nearer the safer part of the standings thanks to their 10 – 7 record. Williams has not been 100% with a few niggling injuries although he does lead the league in rebounds with over 14 boards per game. The high-leaping forward is also the third-best scorer in the conference at over 18 points per game. If Williams gets any more help from the rest of his guys the Realtors might shake things up more than they have. Pointguard Ryan Reyes, another oft-injured vital cog, is steadily finding his rhythm, and getting the likes of Joseph Yeo, Bitoy Omolon and the venerable Marlou Aquino the touches they need to be productive.