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READY FOR WAR
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Four years separated from his last Finals stint, coach Jong Uichico admits he feels uneasy going into the 2015 PBA Commissioner’s Cup titular showdown.
“I’ll just try my very best. It’s been a long while na nasa Finals ako. Di na ako sanay. Kinakabahan na ako,” he said.
On his 14th Finals appearance, Uichico will be hoping to end the two-year drought for the Tropang Texters, who last won the title back in the 2013 Philippine Cup.
He also seeks his ninth title after winning six with San Miguel and two with Ginebra, and to be only the sixth coach to lead three franchises to the championship.
However, Uichico will be up against one of the first five tacticians to achieve that feat.
Coach Yeng Guiao led Swift, Red Bull, and Rain or Shine to six championships under his belt, and he eyes his second title for the Raymond Yu and Terry Que-owned franchise.
“Coach Jong is always prepared,” he said in the PBA Finals Press Conference in Sambokojin Eastwood on Monday.
“I know his coaching staff is really competent and efficient. If you prepare less than they do, they’re going to dominate you all game long. What’s important is you’re prepared when you’re facing them because if not, they’re going to bring you down in so many ways.”
This will be Rain or Shine’s fifth trip to the Finals in nine conferences, and the E-Painters are hoping that this time, they can relive the glory days of the 2012 Governors’ Cup.
“This is the most healthy we’ve been in all of the five Finals that we made. That itself is a good indication,” Guiao said. “You make the Finals, it’s physically taxing, it’s tiring physically and mentally, you might also get some injuries, and that’s why we can’t pull it through before. Now, we’re lucky that we’re able to sweep Meralco and get a few days of rest.”
Also, the fiery coach believes this is Rain or Shine’s best chance to snag the title because of what he calls a transition period for their opponents.
“They are probably in a transition from the (Jimmy) Alapag era to the Jayson Castro era. Once that is complete, Talk ‘N Text is almost invincible. We’re hoping that there’s probably chinks in their armor. And if we can find it, we can hope to complete a championship for the first time in a long time,” Guiao said.
Still, Guiao sees his squad as heavy underdogs against Talk ‘N Text, since historically, the Tropang Texters have always had the number of the Elasto Painters.
“We’ll still be the underdogs. But that’s really our niche. We like to be the underdogs, and we’re comfortable to be the underdogs. In the Meralco series, we were uneasy because we were the favorites, but we’re back to our usual role now,” he said.
Beau Belga also added, “Nakakadala na parati kaming runner-up. Pero malay mo, matsambahan namin sila.”
Talk ‘N Text, meanwhile, wants to atone for last season’s runner-up finish, where the Texters went 13-0 before losing to San Mig Coffee, 3-1 in the title series.
Uichico is hoping for a different ending this time, as the last time he squared off against Guiao, his San Miguel lost to Red Bull, 4-2, in the same conference back in 2001.
“Iba yun compared now. When you go up against coach Yeng, it’s hard to read him. He’s a great coach. It’s hard to know what he plans during the game and I have to be alert on that one,” Uichico said.
Ranidel de Ocampo summed up the mentality of both teams going up to this championship duel, saying, “We’re ready for a war.”
Game 1 is on Wednesday, 7 p.m., at the Mall of Asia Arena. (RL)
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