The Final Score: Who's afraid of Ali Peek? Everyone is.

If granite could talk, if a boulder could dunk, if a mountain could play ball in the PBA, his name would be Ali Peek. After watching him play against Ginebra, I realize I am afraid of this man, not because he is mean - all reports say he is not, but because if he chooses to be so, we'll need to hide the women and children first, then it's every man for himself. Peek is alone in the PBA. Firstly, no one else is like him. Shaped like an 80's He-Man figure, I can imagine him holding a shield in one hand and a heavy-Excalibur-level sword on the other. Always ready for a brawl. Always ready to win it if it happens. Secondly, he is a singular post-presence for Talk N Text. Since Ranidel de Ocampo is far from play-off shape, Mark Telan is far from the slot-man he once was and Gilbert Lao is seated so far down the end of the team bench, Peek is alone, the only center in a line-up of Parkouristas. So Peek stays in his shell, protected by the intimidation his aura provides. Hatfield, Mamaril, Villanueva, Wilson, Menk all try to frazzle the unflinching one. He hardly needs assistance. He carries TNT on his massive shoulders throughout the first half of the fourth quarter. We have a phrase for this; "Binuhat ni Peek ang Talk N Text". You know the image of a man lifting a mountain? How about the image of mountain of a man lifting his entire team and dragging the opposing team's frontline with it? Fourteen points in the fourth quarter. All scored one way -- raw power. How does a team survive a furious last quarter comeback by Ginebra? It leans on a wall. Peek is as wide as most condominium walls in Metro Manila. And his string of stellar performances now spans three games. 21 points vs Powerade. 25 points vs Rain or Shine. 25 points vs the best defensive team in the league - Ginebra. And by the way...in his last three games, he has only missed from the field thrice out of 30 attempts. How can one not shudder? At the end of TNT's fourth straight win, Cesca Litton interviewed Peek. I was worried for her, fearing Peek, in a burst of joy, might decide to give her a friendly hug and, thereby, pulverizing every bone in her upper body. My fears were unfounded. He plays like a wild beast yet talks like a teddy bear on television. Polite. Thorough. Smart. So he looks like a UFC contender but explains like a lecturer. Don't be fooled. After a rugged first half, where bodies crashed all over, some Ginebra fans showered Talk N Text with boos as the Tropang Texters jogged into the tunnel. They were jeered. Except one man. Peek walked out of the court alone. Fans, however, recognize a force of nature when they see one. No reinforcements. No teammates. No worries. And he heard nothing. – GMANews.TV