MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Beer has already achieved its mini goal by beating Talk ’N Text two in a row, including a gutsy 91-87 win last Sunday that tied their PBA Philippine Cup Finals series to 2-2.
With momentum on their side, the Beermen are determined to take Game 5 and, if this were tennis, gain two match points in the process.
But the team knows it’s easier said than done.
For veteran guard Olsen Racela – the most senior in the league – but whose heroics in Game 4 showed some vintage brilliance, the key is to press their advantage.
“We have to sustain everything. We have to sustain our energy and we have to sustain the momentum,” said Racela, the team
captain, who wants to leave in a blaze of glory as he prepares for a new career as coach after the series.
Racela and fellow veteran Danny Ildefonso have been instrumental in the last two games of the finals as they tied the series count.
The former provided leadership while the latter was solid off the bench particularly last Sunday where Ildefonso, a two-time MVP, collected 17 points, five rebounds and four assists.
SMB coach Ato Agustin readily agreed with Racela, saying they have to strike while the iron is hot.
Believing Game 5 is very critical, Agustin said they have to take every opportunity that comes their way to win three in a row, “We have to grab that because momentum is on our side,” Agustin said.
He said they don’t want to be greedy or to look too far ahead.
“We’re only looking at Game 5, our focus is Game 5. We’re taking it one game at a time. Every game we have to be focused, we have to follow our gameplan.”
While he heaped glowing words on Racela and Ildefonso after their Game 4 win, Agustin believes Anthony Jay Washington, the
Best Player of the Conference, and Arwind Santos will again deliver on Wednesday.
Washington finished with 25 points.
Talk ’N Text nearly pulled off a Houdini act and appeared ready to take a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series when they rallied in the fourth quarter, tying the game, 85-all, 57 seconds left.
But costly miscues and missed foul throws proved to be their downfall.
TNT coach Chot Reyes said San Miguel defended well against their big men like Kelly Williams and Ali Peek, who were held to a combined eight points and 14 rebounds.
“It’s obvious that in the last two games, they got our number. We’ve got to find a way to score. It’s just our tremendous heart that kept us in the ballgame (in Game 4),” Reyes said.
In the first two games of the series, TNT shot 48 percent from the field, but the Tropang Texters’ field goal shooting went down to nearly 38 percent in the last two games.
San Miguel has improved to almost 46 percent in Game 3 after shooting just 43 percent in Games 1 and 2. The two teams shot below 40 percent in Game 4, with SMB making just 35-of-88 (39.8%), while TNT made 29-of-77 (37.7%).
source: mb.com.ph
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