GAME TODAY
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7:30 p.m. – SMB vs. TNT
ITS pride and ego bruised the last time out, San Miguel Beer simply wants to move on and use the heartbreak of Game 1 as a big motivation to get back at TNT.
“I told the team it’s beyond our control now so let’s focus and let’s move forward,” Beermen coach Leo Austria said.
“Let’s be motivated by the incident. We showed we can compete with them (Tropang 5G),” he added.
Whether his charges can lick their wounds fast and recover will be known when SMB battles Grand Slam-seeking TNT tonight in Game 2 of their best-of-7 championship duel for the PBA Philippine Cup crown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The second tiff of the race-to-4 series is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m., with fireworks expected after a controversial ending to the Big Dance’s opener last Sunday night.
Beermen big man Mo Tautuua’s vicious slam dunk at the 56.1-second mark of the fourth quarter that gave SMB a supposed 98-97 buffer was waived off by the technical committee due to offensive basket interference, only 6.2 seconds left.
That drew howls from the Beermen and their true-blue fans as the Tropang 5G triumphed 99-96 to take the early upper hand in the season-ending tourney’s finals.
SMB will bank on the likes of reigning eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, Tautuaa, CJ Perez, Don Trollano, Chris Ross, Rodney Brondial, Marcio Lassiter, and Juami Tiongson to get even.
For TNT tactician Chot Reyes, their player rotation should be one of the keys to their bid to move halfway through their mission.
“We’re trying to make due, managing minutes of so many players such as Kelly (Williams) and Roger (Pogoy), we knew that we could be, if it’s getting close in the end, that we’re going to be at a huge disadvantage because of the depth of San Miguel,” Reyes said.
“So, ang usapan lang namin, let’s just rely on each other, hang on as much as we can, and find a way to win in the endgame.”
Calvin Oftana will join hands with Pogoy, Williams, Jordan Heading, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, and Glenn Khobuntin.
Ranged against the formidable Beermen, Reyes said the Tropang 5G should treat the ball like a precious gem.
“What we could not live with were our turnovers. That’s what fueled their run. They got, what, 20 points off turnovers from us? That’s a huge difference. They got 20 points. Can you imagine if we just cut that in half? Hindi na sana didikit,” he said. “But that’s what we have to address, really, is our turnovers.
“They still had a lot of legs and wind to still put pressure even until the fourth quarter and kami hindi na kami masyadong ganoon kalakas because, like I said, because of all the injuries that we’re trying to manage.”
With the two heavyweights left fighting for the pro league’s crown jewel, expect more drama in Game 2.
