GUIAO SEES BIG TROUBLE VS. ENERGY
BARAKO Bull has been making people sit up and take notice with its recent sterling games and one of those keenly keeping track is Rain or Shine – for a very good reason.
One between the Energy and Elasto Painters is sure to move up when they clash Friday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
At stake in the 4:15 p.m. match is not only a third straight win for either team but also solo third-running spot and a clearer shot at making it among the top two being rewarded with a twice-to-beat advantage in the ensuing round.
Both teams know it will be a tough matchup.
“Barako has turned itself into a serious contender,” noted Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao of the team which has finished no higher than sixth the last eight conferences but now surprising everybody with victories over such teams as Barangay Ginebra and Alaska.
Barako’s seven-foot import Solomon Alabi is the biggest factor and should reprise that role anew in their tiff, according to Guiao. “If we fail to remedy their import’s size advantage we will be in big trouble,” he stated.
“He demands a double team, which creates a whole lot of opportunities for his teammates. We should also be able to outrun Barako Bull to minimize their size advantage.”
Energy coach Koy Banal is all too eager to return the compliment. “Rain or Shine is running like a well-oiled machine, both offensively and defensively,” he stated.
“We just want to focus on what we have control of and that is ourselves. Again, the goal is just to make the game close.”
The Energy did just that in their match against Alaska, holding the Aces through 14 deadlocks before banking on Alabi’s followup off his own miss to eke out a 93-91 overtime victory last Tuesday that cut short the former’s two-game slide.
His offensive rebound and game-winner also gave Alabi 23 points and 19 boards for the game, with Dave Marcelo adding 18 and eight and Sol Mercado 15 markers and four assists in his first game back from injury.
Mercado’s backcourt duel with Paul Lee should be an interesting sidelight as the Rain or Shine guard, who sat out a 99-89 victory over Alaska due to an injured elbow, is back in harness.
Before the injury sustained in practice, Lee was the top local for Guiao with averages of 18 points and 7.4 rebounds an outing.
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