PBA Finals: Brotherly love to take a backseat for De Ocampo cagers

Friends or even brothers had to set aside their good relationships once the ball is tossed at the start of Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner's Cup best-of-seven finals between crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra and powerhouse Talk 'N Text.

Brothers Yancy and Ranidel de Ocampo will be at the opposite end of the court and will clash in the finals for the first time in their PBA career. Yancy, the older De Ocampo, is playing for the Gin Kings, while Ranidel is seeing action for the Tropang Texters. With the stakes getting higher, expect brotherly love to take a backseat — at least for the next seven games. "I think this is the first time we will go up against each other in the Finals," said Ranidel. "Madalas, magkakampi kami tuwing maglalaro kami for the championship." The De Ocampos won several titles playing together for the St. Francis Assisi Doves in the National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA). Among the players they defeated for the NCRAA crown included former Lyceum Pirates stalwarts Gary David and Chico Lanete, who are now playing for the Powerade Tigers. In the PBA, the De Ocampos won a championship playing together for the Tropang Texters when the squad bagged the 2008-2009 Philippine Cup crown. So what do we expect when the two frontliners took different roles and face each other up front in the Finals? "Don't be surprised if binanatan ni De Ocampo si De Ocampo," said Ranidel. "Magkapatid kami, pero meron kaming dapat gampanan inside the court and our relationship should be set aside." - Rey Joble, JVP, GMA News