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WANTED: INNER STRENGTH
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BY KEEPING its wits about it at the most crucial of times Alaska has managed to turn the tables on Talk N Text their last time out and even up their PBA Philippine Cup semifinal duel at two games apiece.
The Tropang Texters hope to return the favor when they square off anew Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“I think it will be a crucial game in the series since it’s now a best-of-three,” said TNT coach Norman Black a day after his team’s 99-104 loss in the original race-to-four series’ Game 4 last Friday.
For Alaska coach Luigi Trillo, it’s a matter of his players arming themselves with the same composure they recently displayed so well.
In the last game, the Aces held the Texters to just 18 points in the third quarter and held sway in the stretch despite being severely threatened. Such poise was in stark contrast to the one they displayed in the course of a 79-93 loss in Game 3, when they relinquished control as early in the second quarter.
Such inner strength is again needed since there is little secret in what each team does on-court.
“They are moving away from the pro sets they normally call and are going back to the dribble-drive offense of the past three years,” noted Trillo.
“We need to be stronger with the ball. We also need to keep on doing a good job defensively and taking charges in their driving lanes,” he added.
There is also the matter of not being distracted by other on-court happenings, like dubious calls and non-calls.
“Still worried about the referees’ calls,” said Trillo, one of the recipients of the four technical fouls called against Alaska last Friday.
“Talk N Text has been continuously holding, pushing and hacking our inside game and penetrations the past four games. Our gameplan is no secret. We get the ball inside as opposed to the dribble-drive. The TNT defense gets away with a lot of those fouls that should be called.”
The Texters were themselves whistled for three technicals and Black expressed his own apprehensions.
“I also can only hope that the referees don’t sit my key players on the bench in foul trouble like they did in Game Three,” stated Black, referring to the likes of Ranidel de Ocampo, Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes. De Ocampo ultimately fouled out off a charge on Calvin Abueva with TNT within 92-94, still 1:48 left.
Despite Trillo’s claim, TNT was still whistled for 33 of the 59 fouls called last Friday. The total was just three less than the series record set in Game Two won by Alaska, 100-88. (NC)
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