ACES BRACE FOR KINGS’ FIGHTBACK
For Mark Caguioa, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is better off losing the Finals opener Wednesday.
He expects his team to gather steam and make a big fightback versus Alaska in Game Two of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-five championship showdown at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay Friday night.
“Ako, personally as a player, I’ve been with this team for 12 years, mas gusto kong talo yung una, sa totoo lang,” said Caguioa.
“Ngayon nandiyan na yung urgency dahil nakatikim na ng talo. Hopefully, ganu’n nga,” Caguioa added. “Zero-one? Ano ba naman ‘yon? I wouldn’t be worried about this team now. There’s no way na naging never-say-die itong team na ito for nothing.”
Alaska, meanwhile, banks on a lesson learned from the past and on the charm of its favorite playing venue as the Aces seek a follow-up on their 87-70 demolition job in Game One.
“We know better now. The last time we were in the semis (against Talk n Text in the Philippine Cup), we also had a good start, felt so happy only to be disappointed in the end,” said Alaska coach Luigi Trillo.
“The bottom line is we have to be ready for their adjustments. We have to stay focused. We have to play tougher,” Trillo added.
Trillo expects the Kings to be fresher in Game Two but, at the same time, he’s comfortable meeting them in this crucial game in the Pasay playing venue.
“We love MOA. We haven’t lost there,” said Trillo whose team is on its hottest run in years, now at 5-1 in the playoffs and 16-4 in the whole tourney.
“They’ll be fresh because only Vernon Macklin and LA Tenorio played long minutes (Wednesday). They’ll come out with adjustments and we really have to be ready,” said Trillo, pushing all the right buttons in completely dominating the Kings in Game One.
The big question is can the Ginebra coach find the right countermoves to get back at Alaska.
Coach Alfrancis Chua admitted they had a difficult time preparing for Alaska from their Talk n Text semis series.
“Playing Alaska and playing Talk n Text are two different things. Yung isa puro one-on-one, eto talagang puro screen, puro ganyan, puro ganito,” said Chua.
“Organisado ang Alaska. They’re patient. Pagdating ng next game, alam na nila (Ginebra players). Nakita na nila,” Chua added.
He challenges the most his starters.
“It’s about starters. We’ll rely on them,” said Chua, keeping unwavering faith on his main men despite their lousy performance Wednesday.
“Gumamit ako ng bench-warmers, dumikit, e. Pag tiningnan mo lahat ng starters ko, 0 out of 5, 0 out of 6, e papano naman kami mananalo du’n, di ba? Papano pa kami makakahabol du’n?” rued the outspoken Ginebra mentor.
The Aces completely dominated the Kings in Game One by imposing their will on both ends.
So solid was Alaska’s defense that the Aces held the Kings to a measly six points in the first quarter and to 24 in the first half.
And the Kings failed to get into the groove even as their coach had gone deep to his third group, fielding a total of 14 players in the contest.
“We just couldn’t make a basket. I guess we still had the hangover of the Talk n Text series,” said Chua. (SB)
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