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Shorthanded Painters go for 3-1 lead vs Beermen
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Rain or Shine’s Chris Tiu goes for a layup against San Miguel Beer’s Marcio Lassiter during Game 3 of their 2016 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals Saturday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao and San Miguel Beer counterpart Leo Austria are unabashed movie buffs and listening to them evoke memories of some films like “Last Man Standing” and ones made by the late Action King, Fernando Poe Jr.
“Para kaming bida sa pelikula na nagpapabugbog muna tapos mananalo,” said Austria.
Guiao, meanwhile, sounded more like one guy who remains ready to battle it out despite other injuries further decimating his Elasto Painters for the remainder of their Smart Bro-PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series against the Beermen starting Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“This team is designed for others to step up,” stated Guiao, whose team’s 111-106 victory in Game 3 last Saturday pushed it ahead 2-1 going to the last four games of the duel.
“We’re paying a big cost for this series, but that’s how it is,” added Guiao. “We’re willing to pay that cost and take up the challenge.”
It would indeed be interesting to know how the remaining Rain or Shine players respond to the call.
For probably at least until the remainder of the duel the E-Painters have to make do without injured key players Jericho Cruz and Raymond Almazan.
As of Sunday, the real extent of the left knee injury guard Jericho Cruz suffered late in Game 3 last Saturday has yet to be fully determined.
For sure, Cruz, who averages 10 points, five rebounds, 2.33 assists and a ton of energy and hustle in the series, would not be able to see action Monday.
Rain or Shine has already played Game 3 minus Almazan, who will be sidelined for at least two weeks due to a sprained right ankle he suffered after stepping on teammate Jewel Ponferrada’s foot in practice last Friday. Prior to that, the 6-8 Almazan averaged 9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds, not mention an additional hindrance to June Mar Fajardo.
“We lost Raymond for this series, but I’m hoping we’d able to extend this series long enough so that he can contribute (if ever we get to the finals),” said Guiao. “But again, the chances of that happening look bleak.”
However, Guiao was also quick to simply shrug off the latest injury to strike his team, citing their latest win kept his team on track to prolonging the series and eventually tire Fajardo and other key SMB players out.
“Winning tonight (Saturday) extends the series, whatever happens. Now, we have to play at least six games,”added Guiao. “We’re just trying to wear them down. We outlasted them in this game. All throughout the fourth quarter, we were just keeping our heads above water and trying to hang on and, hopefully again, they will wear out.”
The absence of Cruz and Almazan should come as a very welcome news for SMB, which has struggled to find solutions to the pesky defense and more balanced offense of its foe.
Fajardo remained the irrepressible force that he is in Game 3, finishing with 40 points and 20 rebounds while Lassiter came up with his best scoring game yet in the conference of 22 points anchored on 6-of-9 three-point shooting.
Sadly for the Beermen, Lassiter was the lone consistent force behind the arc as they went just 9-for-33 and thus failed to loosen up the inside defense on Fajardo.
In contrast, the E-Painters had seven players finishing in double figures, led by Paul Lee’s 18 and Gabe Norwood scattering 11 of his 13 in the fourth quarter and pulling off a tremendous help-side block on Fajardo.
It marked the first time in the conference the Beermen lost two straight games, but Austria is not one to treat such a fact as ominous. “It’s not too late. Intelligent basketball ang kailangan namin,” he said.
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