ALASKA OPENS 2015 WITH 1ST OF 2 SHOTS AT PHIL CUP FINALS
Alaska is confident of wrapping up the series, and so is Rain or Shine in forcing a do-or-die.
It could be a dogfight or battle of wills as the Aces and the Elasto Painters return from an eight-day-breather and slug it out in Game Six of their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal showdown Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
“I think we can win Game Six,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.
“I love our team. It’s about the players’ effort, their desire to learn and get better. We respect coach Yeng (Guiao) and Rain or Shine a lot. They’re talented and disciplined. It’ll come down to which team is able to execute and make the right adjustments. If it goes to a Game Seven, we’ll be ready to win that, too,” Compton also said.
On the other hand, RoS coach Yeng Guiao said: “I believe the guys want it, they want to play in the Finals and they want to compete for the championship. That’s where my confidence comes.”
Technically, it’s about how to neutralize Rain or Shine’s physicality and up-tempo offense and how to get through Alaska’s unforgiving and unrelenting trapping defense.
“Both our teams play hard and at a fast pace. We can’t afford our players to get tired so we use our bench a lot. Both teams require a high level of physical conditioning to be able to sustain the pace,” said Compton.
Guiao admits they’re troubled by Alaska’s full-court press, but he’s hopeful they can handle it now.
“The more games we play them, the more familiar we get with their pressure defense. We should no longer be surprised,” Guiao said.
The result of their semifinal showdown in the last Governors’ Cup should be in their minds.
It’s a little over six months ago when the Aces roared to the threshold of the Governors’ Cup Finals only be denied and frustrated by the same opponent they’re facing now.
The Aces are back on the doorstep of the title playoff and they vow to heal the wound of their bitter downfall last conference.
Refreshed by the welcome breather, the Aces are likely to pour everything they’ve got in their first of two cracks to finish off the E-Painters.
The Aces had looked on the way to wrapping up the series when Jvee Casio slipped on a breakaway layup. The E-Painters stole the game at 123-121, and then squeezed out a thriller of a win, 97-94, in the sudden death to advance to the Finals versus eventual champion San Mig Coffee.
Everyone at the Alaska camp now is hoping they learn from their mistake.
The E-Painters are out to make the Philippine Cup Finals for the third straight year while the Aces are raring to play in the title playoff again after ruling the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup.
Keenly awaiting the outcome of the Rain or Shine-Alaska face-off is San Miguel Beer.
Sweeping past the Talk n Text Tropang Texters in their side of the semis, the Beermen will be shooting for a fifth all-Filipino crown and 20th overall in the best-of-seven finale. (SB)
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