TRUE METTLE
IT WILL be a true character test time for San Mig Super Coffee and Talk N Text when they square up anew Friday in their PLDT myDSL PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals duel at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Mixers can close the deal out with another victory in the 5:45 p.m. encounter but must first overcome the heart sure to be displayed by the defending champion Tropang Texters.
Nobody knows that more than San Mig coach Tim Cone.
“We’re playing a team which has players who have been through the wars and know how to play a series so we’re certainly not counting our chickens,” said Cone.
San Mig put itself in the enviable position of gaining a sixth straight semifinals appearance after taking the best-of-three opener, 90-83, last Tuesday.
That doesn’t give Cone any reason to feel really comfortable, however. “We know they’re formidable and we have to be at our best to close this thing out. There’s no comfort in us being one up in the series,” he said.
PJ Simon’s 20 points led the five Mixers who scored in double figures, but Texters coach Norman Black has pinpointed the other areas his charges must exert extra effort on.
“We will have to do a better job on the boards and limit their second chance points,” said Black, whose charges got outrebounded 55-45 and gave up 16 points off 20 offensive rebounds.
“Also we must take care of the ball because they scored 20 turnover points last game. It’s do or die for us so we must bring the energy and effort,” added Black.
Otherwise, TNT doesn’t need much tinkering in its own offense.
Jayson Castro practically shredded the San Mig defense with 24 points while Danny Seigle wound up with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Even new acquisition Nino “KG” Canaleta had a decent debut in a TNT uniform with eight points.
As Black said, it is simply a matter of the Texters at least matching the Mixers’ blue-collar attitude up front as Ranidel de Ocampo and Kelly Williams combined for only 12 rebounds, one less than Marc Pingris alone.
Should San Mig prevail, it goes on to the best-of-seven semis against either Barangay Ginebra San Miguel or Alaska. (NC)
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