TIME TO WALK THE TALK
Deep down the chart, the Purefoods Star Hotshots now want to do the talking in the game.
“Not much to say really,” said Purefoods coach Tim Cone as they wallow at ninth place, nearing the halfway mark of the PBA Philippine Cup elimination round.
They want some reprieve as they tangle with the NLEX Road Warriors at 7 p.m. Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“At this point, we need our play to do the talking. We just can’t afford to fall further behind the leaders,” Cone added.
NLEX is a notch up on Purefoods in the team standings but coach Boyet Fernandez believes they’re the underdog in their tiff.
“With a complete lineup, Purefoods is a very strong team. We have to come out with a strong commitment to play defense. They’re a tough match-up for us but if we play ‘D,’ we will have a chance,” said Fernandez.
The Road Warriors are at eighth place with a 2-3 win-loss card, claiming victories over the Globalport Batang Pier, 101-96, and the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 97-81.
The Hotshots are right behind at ninth with a lone win over the Batang Pier against three losses to the Aces, the San Miguel Beermen and the Kings.
Both teams need to get going now if they’re to catch up with the leaders in the single round robin elims where the top two automatically make the semis and the next eight advance to the quarters.
In the quarters, the No. 3 and No. 4 teams hold twice-to-beat advantage versus No. 10 and No. 9, respectively. The middle four engage in a best-of-three series.
A week after snapping a two-game losing skein against GlobalPort, the Hotshots suffered yet another loss at the hands of the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their much anticipated duel Sunday.
“The nine-day break hurt them more than helped them. Knowing coach Tim, he would have wanted to play the next day after winning the last time,” said Ginebra coach Jeff Cariaso after pulling a first one over his mentor, Cone.
Purefoods Star honored two former great players with a retirement ceremony then Barangay Ginebra stole the moment, cruising to a coast-to-coast 89-66 win in what was expected to be a slam-bang game.
The Hotshots just couldn’t keep in step with the Kings in that contest.
Cone insists they would do the explaining, the talking and everything in their game against NLEX. (SB)
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