BOOSTED by prolific import Bennie Boatwright and the pro league’s best player in June Mar Fajardo, San Miguel Beer can opt to live and die with the two.
But that ploy won’t hack it if the Beermen intend to get the job done in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals.
SMB coach Jorge Gallent, in his first stint in the coming Big Dance of the season-opening tourney, wants his charges to play beautiful music together in all fronts.
“It’s just our unity. We play as a unit, and we try to win and lose as a unit,” Gallent said.
“We just have to stay together if we want to achieve what we want to achieve,” he added.
The Beermen initially paraded Ivan Aska as their reinforcement but changed horses midstream by tapping former USC Trojan Boatwright.
The import switch worked wonders as SMB rolled to nine straight wins dating back from the eliminations, quarterfinals, and a sweet 3-0 sweep of Ginebra in the semifinals.
Gallent gushed at the impact the 6-foot-8 Boatwright is giving his team– a feathery touch from outside that complements the inside game of Fajardo.
“We’re just lucky to have Bennie. That’s all I have to say. It’s good Bennie arrived here, it’s good Bennie was available,” Gallent said.
“It’s good an agent called us about Bennie. So, we’re happy that Bennie arrived and he’s really a great import.”
The Beermen will take on either the Magnolia Hotshots or the Phoenix Fuel Masters in a race-to-4 finals.
Holding a 2-1 semis lead, Magnolia battled Phoenix last night in Game 4.
Kings coach Tim Cone is convinced whichever squad SMB would face for the crown will have its hands full.
“They’ll be a tough team in the finals,” Cone said. “Either one of those teams (Hotshots or Fuel Masters) will have a heck of a hard time beating San Miguel.”
The Beermen also have the likes of CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, and Jericho Cruz to back up Boatwright and Fajardo.
“I just want to thank coach Jorge for the opportunity that he’s giving me on the court. I’ve been playing badly for the last two games,” Cruz said.
“It’s a good thing that we’re winning but for me, I don’t want to have bad games so it’s a good thing that we still won.”
