EXPRESS BRACING FOR MIXERS STORM
San Mig Super Coffee coach Tim Cone knows his team is bound to hit bumps in any campaign. It’s how his Mixers right themselves and get back on track that concerns Cone most.
And so does coach Franz Pumaren, who expects his Air21 squad taking on nothing less than a rampaging San Mig crew 5:45 p.m. Wednesday at the resumption of the PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Express are looking for a second straight win that would move them into a share of third-running spot alongside idle Alaska and bolster their chances of being in the middle of the pack and on even terms with whoever their opponent would be in the ensuing eight-team quarterfinals.
For their part, the Mixers are aiming to keep hold of third and, more important, snap out of a two-game slide capped by a 75-81 loss to Talk N Text two Mondays ago.
That makes the San Mig team eyeing a third straight title extra dangerous.
“It’s hard playing San Mig after the result of their last game against Talk N Text,” noted Pumaren.
“We should anticipate a storm surge type of game from them.”
To weather such an assault, Air21 must display the poise it showed in a 97-95 escape over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel last March 26, when its defense made up for a 1-for-4 free throw shooting in the last 16 seconds and denied Ginebra the equalizer inside the last 4.5 seconds
Wesley Witherspoon was the main man in that decisive stop, capping a game in which he also had 25 points, 10 rebounds and three steals.
Joseph Yeo, Macmac Cardona and Mark Borboran also did their share, as well as Aldrech Ramos and Asi Taulava. But Pumaren is quick to point out the game should be decided by more than scoring.
“We have to control the rebounding edge that they have for us to compete and hopefully we can keep up with their intensity. We have to play smart,” stated Pumaren.
The All-Star break should help resuscitate San Mig.
James Mays was solid against TNT and so were Ian Sangalang and Alex Mallari, but the likes of James Yap, Mark Barroca, Marc Pingris and Peter June Simon were not their usual selves then after combining for just 21 points. (NC)
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