MOVING ON
Defense wins championships, they say. But can it stop a team’s bleeding?
That question will be answered when two defensive-minded squads clash on Tuesday in the 2014 PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
San Mig Super Coffee eyes to bounce back from its sorry loss to San Miguel Beer last Sunday, while Meralco wants to stop its three-game skid and parades the returning Mario West at 5:45 p.m.
The Coffee Mixers want to shake off their heart-breaking 92-90 defeat against the Beermen.
Marqus Blakely had a chance in the endgame to win it for San Mig, but San Miguel Beer import Reggie Williams stripped the ball from the reigning Best Import to preserve the victory for his squad.
But for coach Tim Cone, he said his team needs to put the heartbreak behind and move on to their next assignment.
“It would have been a big win, but we didn’t get it,” he said. “Every game counts and we’ll put this game behind us and move forward.”
In contrast, the Bolts are facing the possibility of missing out the quarters with their slump, and have already pressed the panic button by sending Terrence Williams home.
Meralco is assured of getting a keeper as they bring back West, who has suited for the squad in the last two Governors’ Cups.
West averaged 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in his two years of duty for coach Ryan Gregorio, and will be looking to redeem himself after Meralco got the boot in the last Governors’ Cup, coincidentally, at the hands of San Mig.
The Coffee Mixers beat the Bolts in that best-of-five semifinal series, 3-1, on their way to the first of their three consecutive titles. (RL)
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