DEFENDING champion San Miguel Beer and Ginebra, favored to reach the finals, want nothing but to reach the Big Dance.
But don’t count out Rain or Shine and Meralco, which are out to rain on their rivals’ parade.
The Beermen take on the Elasto Painters today as the best-of-7 semifinals get going at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The curtain-raiser is set at 4:30 p.m., with SMB keen on gaining the headstart in the race-to-4 series.
Ditto with the Kings, who will clash with the Bolts in the nightcap at 7:30.
“The best team in the conference ang kalaban,” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao said after his inspired fifth-ranked charges ousted the No. 4 TNT Tropang Giga in their do-or-die quarterfinals duel two nights back.
“I don’t think there’s any pressure on us. We will just play as hard as we can, iyon lang ang gagawin namin,” he said.
The Beermen similarly needed to hurdle the Terrafirma Dyip 110-91 in a knockout tiff last Wednesday that SMB tactician Jorge Gallent said propped up his team’s readiness for the Last Four.
“They have the same style, they have bigs that can shoot the threes,” Gallent said. “So, this (quarterfinals) series really helped us.”
The likes of reigning seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Terrence Romeo, Jericho Cruz, Marcio Lassiter, and Don Trollano will be counted upon by the Beermen to deliver anew.
Despite their foes’ firepower, Guiao is unfazed.
“Wala naman kaming pang-tapat kay June Mar (Fajardo), wala kaming pantapat kay CJ (Perez), kina Terrence (Romeo),” Guiao said. “Pero pahihirapan namin sila. Ganoon lang ang magagawa namin. Kung manalo, manalo. Kung matalo, kailangan matalo ka na nakataas ang noo mo after the game.
“We want San Miguel to feel all the pressure. Wala namang pressure sa amin. Panalo na kami, champion na kami sa isip namin.”
The Painters will bank on Gian Mamuyac, Jhonard Clarito, Andrei Caracut, Adrian Nocum, Leonard Santillan, and Beau Belga.
“It’s going to be a battle. Meralco is the hottest team entering the playoffs and they already beat us up in the elims,” Kings strategist Tim Cone said.
For Meralco coach Luigi Trillo, the Bolts will certainly give Ginebra a run for its money.
“It’s always tough and hard when we face Ginebra. They’re well-coached, they got depth and then they added some guys like (Ralph) Cu who are really great role players,” Trillo said. “We know we’re going to get our hands full but we’re looking forward to it.”
