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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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05
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02
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
05
02
2024
AFTER taking pride in his team’s defense Meralco coach Norman Black is now looking at a different facet of the game as his Bolts try to at least stay alive in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal duel with Rain or Shine Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“My local players have to shoot well. We have to rise up and make the shots,” stressed Black.
By virtue of a 92-82 win last Sunday, the Elasto Painters took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, a hole from which only three of 44 previous teams have successfully dug themselves out of.
Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao knows sealing the deal against a team whose motivation has now been compounded by desperation won’t be easy.
“The best time to finish off the series would be tomorrow, but the last win is always the hardest to accomplish,” said Guiao on the eve of the match.
For sure, Black is not about to throw in the towel. “It’s not over yet,” he stated.
“Obviously we have to play much better if we want to win (at least) one game in this series. But at the same time they only have two wins. We still have a chance.”
First, his local Bolts’ shooting touch must complement their defense, which they got down pat in Game 2.
After getting beaten in transition to the tune of 24 points in an 86-99 loss in the series opener, the Bolts had four more fastbreak points in Game 2 and emerged with a 17-6 advantage in turnover points.
“I thought we did a very good job of cutting off their fastbreaks today and forcing them to play halfcourt,” said Black after a lengthy meeting with his staff Sunday.
Meralco also clamped down hard on Rain or Shine import Wayne Chism, using a double-team to limit the man who went into Game 2 averaging close to 30 points to just 11 on a PBA career-low nine shots.
It’s just that the E-Painters’ locals stepped up and accounted for all but one of their season-high 19 triples. Five of those came during the second quarter as they steadily rose from what was once a 14-point deficit.
It was during the third period that Rain or Shine’s biggest explosion came, however, when it went 8-for-11 from beyond the arc to raze a three-point halftime deficit and go up 76-61 heading to the final canto.
“That was just tremendous shooting from the perimeter. I think when a team shoots like that it’s just very difficult to beat them,” admitted Black.
Indeed, the E-Painters were booming in their bombs from practically every angle and circumstances, which little or no defense can possibly hope to stymie.
“Extraordinary shooting, considering some of them came four, five feet beyond the three-point line, some of them off the backboard, some of them in the last second of the shotclock,” assessed Black.
“I think we have to give credit where credit is due. They really shot the ball well.”
Guiao was simply glad with the way his other players stepped up and made those perimeter shots in the absence of top sniper Jeff Chan, who sat out the game due to a right heel injury.
“We were making our outside shots. They took the risk of double teaming Chism and that opened up our shooters,” noted Guiao. “Lucky for us we were making those. If it was otherwise, when we couldn’t make our outside shots with the double team on Wayne, the outcome would have been different.”
Paul Lee was foremost among those who rose to the occasion by building his teamhigh 23 points on 5-for-7 three-point shooting. Rookie Jericho Cruz and Jonathan Uyloan also made three treys each with Chris Tiu two.
“Our guards are playing well, even without Jeff,” said Guiao. “I’ve said before, it’s not about our import scoring. Both imports are not really dominating in offense anyway. Offense-wise it’s really the locals that need to step up.”
Chan is expected see action Tuesday, but Guiao maintains it would be extremely hard to duplicate his team’s outside shooting in Game 2. “We know it’s almost impossible. We have to find some other way of winning on Tuesday,” he said.
Black would be content if his charges, who made only five out of 24 three-point attempts in Game 2 and failed to stretch out the defense for Josh Davis to operate inside, could come near the E-Painters’ clip last Sunday.
“If you want to make the semifinals, if you want to make the Finals you have to make shots. That’s what Rain or Shine is doing,” said Black.
“When you make 3’s five feet from behind the line this is the time to do it. My guys just have to realize that they have to make their outside shots. The Gary Davids, John Wilsons, Mike Cortezes. For us to be successful, they have to open up the paint by shooting from the perimeter and making their shots.
“So far we haven’t been able to do that.” (NC)
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