NO MORE TOMORROWS
This is the grandest moment in pro basketball – Game Seven. It’s the ultimate event where real heroes are made, legacies are forged and hearts are broken.
This is truly a defining moment that doesn’t happen so often. In fact, through the PBA’s 40 years of existence with over a hundred tournaments played, this is only the 24th Game Seven in PBA Finals folklore.
Taking the Smart Araneta Coliseum floor for a historic showdown are Rain or Shine and Talk n Text at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
This is one final game where the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown is at stake.
No matter what happens, coach Yeng Guiao and his Elasto Painters, and coach Jong Uichico and his Tropang Texters have secured a place in PBA history.
Now is their opportunity to elevate their legacy.
“It all boils down to one game, a winner-take-all. That’s the way the series has been, you never know what’s gonna happen (between) one game and the next,” said Uichico.
It comes down to this after Talk n Text struck in Games One (99-92), Four (99-92) and Five (103-94) while Rain or Shine pulled through in Games Two (116-108), Three (109-97) and Six (101-93).
Squared up with three games apiece, the two teams battle for one last time where everyone, including the spectators, would be on the edge.
One can throw the previous stats and results out of the window, as it is now more about the desire and determination of the combatants.
The Elasto Painters have the momentum on their side following their series-tying triumph in Game Six, but the Texters are banking on the assuring words of their import Ivan Johnson.
In front of the whole team in their locker room following a mere six-point game Sunday, Johnson vowed to do everything he can to lead the team to victory in the winner-take-all setto.
“He promised that to us and hopefully he fulfills it,” said Jayson Castro of Johnson’s remarks obviously intended to lift the Texters’ morale and spirit after they blew their first crack at closing out the best-of-seven series.
For all of Johnson’s mischiefs, the Texters are not about to turn their backs on their temperamental import – not when they’re to engage the E-Painters in one final game in one of the most vicious and brutal PBA finals series in recent years.
“Dito sa amin, we support each other,” said Castro.
In one play in the third quarter Sunday, Johnson went after Chris Tiu after the Rain or Shine guard broke Talk n Text’s fastbreak attack. In another play towards the end, Johnson reached at Paul Lee’s face as the ROS top gun was going to the basket.
Johnson ended up with five fouls and one turnover against six points on just 2-of-9 field shooting in 32 minutes of action.
But the TNT mentor didn’t put the blame on Johnson. “Maybe Johnson just didn’t play a good game based on his productivity. It happens,” said Uichico.
“You also give credit to what Rain or Shine did in the adjustments that they made,” Uichico also said.
For the soft-spoken Talk n Text mentor, the bigger factor was that they allowed Rain or Shine to set the pace of the game.
Both teams will try to impose oneself against the other as they pursue their respective dreams.
The Texters try to reclaim the crown they won in 2011 while the E-Painters are out to bag a second championship after their title conquest in the 2012 Governors Cup.
The truly memorable teams won the hard way, and that will be the case for the one celebrating at center court before an expected sellout crowd at the end of the contest. (SB)
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