STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN
San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone has been in the league for so long that he knows well how to handle the severest beating one could get in a game.
Cone can take positive perspective from a loss like the one they suffered at the hands of Barangay Ginebra Friday.
The fact is he exudes calmness and reassurance on the eve of Game Three of their side of best-of-seven semifinal playoff in the PLDT MyDSL PBA Philippine Cup Final Four set at 5 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Ginebra and San Mig Coffee start from scratch after splitting the first two games.
The Gin Kings hammered the Mixers hard as they bounced back from an 83-85 loss in Game One, fashioning out a 93-64 rout in Game Two.
“It’s not the first time that I’ve gone from genius to idiot. Game Two was on me. We were poorly prepared for their adjustments and everything kind of imploded for us,” Cone said.
“The good news for us is you don’t get extra wins in the series for a blowout. It’s still just 1-1,” he added. “But we certainly have to pick it up, me especially.”
The Kings fought with great resolve after their sorry two-point loss in Game One, rebounding with their biggest victory since a 114-71 rout of Rain or Shine on May 24, 2009.
The Mixers, meanwhile, went down with their worst loss in the playoffs in nearly 16 years or since losing to Gordon’s Gin, 84-119, during the All-Filipino Cup semifinals in 1998.
“Siguradong gagawa sila ng sarili nilang adjustments and we have to anticipate their moves,” said Ginebra coach Ato Agustin.
Agustin said they’re keeping the biggest winning weapon they used in Game Two – aggressiveness.
“That will really be the key. Kapag di kami naging aggressive, walang mangyayari sa amin,” Agustin pointed out.
On Friday night, Marc Pingris scored the game’s first basket from an interception by Marc Barroca — a vivid reminder of how the Mixers stole Game One, 85-83.
But the Gin Kings won’t allow that to happen again, establishing control right in the second quarter and pressing on to tie the series at a game apiece.
“We had a good adjustment, good start and good defense. It all came from the intensity we showed in the game,” said Agustin.
“We’re able to limit them in the 60s. It’s an indication of the effort we put up on defense. I think we surprised them as we played zone,” Agustin also said. (SB)
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