ACES, E-PAINTERS BACK TO SQUARE ONE
RAIN or Shine has shown it could play Alaska’s pressure game.
Which can wear down the other better would be the biggest question when the Aces and Elasto Painters square off anew Monday in their PBA Philippine Cup semifinal duel at the Mall of Asia Arena.
By forcing Alaska to commit 25 turnovers, Rain or Shine leveled the best-of-seven series with a 102-95 win in Game 2 last Saturday, a victory Alaska coach Alex Compton grudgingly admitted was well-earned.
“Rain or Shine really outplayed us in Game 2 and clearly deserved the win,” said Compton.
“We obviously played poor defensively and we turned the ball over too much,” added Compton. “I hope we will be much better for Game 3 as Rain or Shine is used to these kinds of situations.“
E-Painters coach Yeng Guiao was as easy to shrug off the win as his team’s 80-87 loss in the series opener last Thursday, a loss that cut short their seven-game winning streak and one he blamed on the law of averages catching up with his team.
“We just evened the series. It’s a fresh start for us,” he said.
Guiao arrived late for Game 2 after getting caught in a monstrous traffic jam and allowed chief deputy Caloy Garcia to continue calling the shots until the end of the match.
The grizzled tactician, however, is sure to make allowances for the continued traffic snarl for Game 3 as well as whatever adjustments Alaska may make.
“We need to keep attacking their press and hope we don’t commit too many turnovers in the process. With Alaska it’s either you break their press or they break you,” stated Guiao.
“This is going to come down to who has more in their tank at the end of the day,” added Guiao.
Guiao was referring to the 17-point spread his charges blew in Game 1. Last Saturday, Rain or Shine led by as much as 57-36 but easily avoided another collapse.
Guiao said that is now his nagging concern.
“We have built good leads in the last two games but the question is if we could hold these leads. We did it in Game 2 but not in Game 1,” said Guiao.
A quick glimpse at the stats sheets indeed bear out the crucial part miscues may play.
In each of the first two games the winning team posted an eight-point advantage off turnovers and while Rain or Shine committed six less turnovers last Saturday than its 19 in the first game, Alaska made seven more in Game 2.
Each team also has players who are under the microscope. Cyrus Baguio and Calvin Abueva have been consistent for Compton, but not Sonny Thoss and Jayvee Casio, who combined for 11 points in Game 2 after 32 in the opener.
For the E-Painters, Paul Lee and Gabe Norwood have struggled from the field, going a combined 13-for-46 in both games. (NC)
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