JUDGMENT FRIDAY
Talk ‘N Text dug itself out of a 0-2 hole and was able to level the series 2-2 with a nail-biting 84-81 overtime victory over San Mig Super Coffee last Wednesday. Less than forty eight hours later, the two teams tangle again in the winner-take-all Game 5, and TNT coach Norman Black believes that the fatigue may be a telling factor.
“Right now, it’s all about who has something left in the tank going into Friday’s game and who’s gonna come out and gut it out,” Black said. “I’m not sure about their physical state. I’m sure both teams are tired at this point because we go at it every other day and there’s not much break in between, but we’ll just come out and gut it out on Friday and try to get a win.”
Momentum is on the Texters’ side as they try to derail the Coffee Mixers’ Grand Slam aspirations starting at 8 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Talk n Text racked up two straight wins after falling behind in the series and Black’s ploy of using all 15 men on his bench has been a pivotal change in strategy.
“The reason why I’m using a longer rotation is because I used a shorter rotation in the first two games and we lost both games,” Black said. “So I just figured out, just like what I told everybody, they’ll get a chance to play. I’m gonna play as many guys as I can to win this series.”
Using a deep rotation to his advantage, Black was able to rest his key cogs in key stretches in Games 3 and 4, proving to be valuable for the Texters in the end game.
Even San Mig’s energetic forward Marc Pingris believes this trend favored the guys in blue-and-yellow, as San Mig struggled in its last two outings.
“Sa totoo lang, mas lamang sila sa pahinga. Ang lalim ng bench nila at ang dami nilang player na pwedeng ipagpalit-palit,” he said.
But come Game 5, Pingris said that all bets are off.
“Kahit pagod, kayod lang. Next game, di mo na kailangang ipahinga. For 48 minutes, dapat ilaro mo na,” said the man dubbed as Pinoy Sakuragi. “Naka-focus lang kami sa game.”
As the pressure on the team for a Grand Slam finish builds up, Pingris said, “Kung para sa amin, para sa amin, basta ginawa namin yung aming trabaho. Kung para sa kanila, para sa kanila. Wala na kaming dapat ipagyabang sa mga tao kasi naglalaro lang kami. Kung makakapasok kami, eh di pasok kami.”
But since they’re this close to what could be the first Triple Crown in 18 years, the San Mig workhorse vows the Mixers will give it their all.
“Pangarap ng bawat player maka-Grand Slam,” Pingris said. “Kakayurin namin at talagang paghihirapan namin yung Game 5 para makapasok kami sa Finals.” (RL)
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