MIXERS TAKE ON HARDLUCK ACES
Ranged against coach Jeff Cariaso and his up-and-coming Barangay Ginebra San Miguel team the last time, the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers came out to prove that it’s still their time.
It’s against practically the same backdrop as the Mixers go up against coach Alex Compton and his Alaska Aces in the PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors’ Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome Friday night.
The big difference was that the Kings were riding the crest of a three-game run when they set out for their game against the Mixers while Alaska is coming off three straight setbacks going to its match with San Mig Coffee.
And it’s no ordinary skid.
The Aces were terribly torn apart, 72-123, in their last game Wednesday night by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
The question is how does Alaska respond from that massacre, plunging back into action 48 hours later against the mighty San Mig Coffee Mixers.
Compton tried to poke fun at what is in store for them next.
“We just go back to work, watch the film, try to break the stuff down, and get ready for that really ‘weak’ team on Friday that struggled the last three conferences,” Compton said, of course, sarcastically.
The Mixers and the Aces collide at 8 p.m. with the former pursuing their bid to make the Top Four and the latter fighting to survive.
Thinking about their winning record against the Mixers until their quarterfinal showdown in the last Commissioner’s Cup could probably help prop up the Aces.
Alaska had held a clean record against San Mig Coffee in the season and won Game One of their Commissioner’s Cup best-of-three quarterfinals showdown only to stumble in the next two games.
The Mixers went all the way to rule the tourney, and have continued to churn out solid performances to share the lead in the Governors’ Cup with Talk n Text and Barangay Ginebra at 4-1.
The Aces are at 2-4, having gone 1-3 with their new coach.
Compton and his team definitely have to gather themselves and forget what happened the last time out if they’re to compete with the Mixers. (SB)
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