NO CHRISTMAS TRUCE FOR ACES, E-PAINTERS; PBA TREATS FANS TO FREE TICKETS
Alaska and Rain or Shine will not give love but continue to do battle on Christmas Day.
No one is calling a truce.
Their Christmas Day setto is set at 4:15 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena with the Aces out to put the series away from the Elasto Painters.
The Aces try to sustain the momentum of their emphatic Game Three victory in a bid to take a pivotal three games-to-one lead versus the E-Painters in their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal playoff.
A good crowd is expected to watch the crucial game especially as the PBA offers a Christmas present to its fans by opening the General Admission section for free. Tickets will be given away on a first-come-first-served basis.
Passion and emotion could run higher following Game Three marred by an avalanche of technical fouls and the ejection of RoS coach Yeng Guiao and lead center Beau Belga.
The E-Painters know they can’t lose this game or their aspirations are gone.
Rain or Shine is in pursuit of a third straight Philippine Cup Finals appearance, but Alaska pressed its own bid harder – at least in the last game. The Aces are after a first Finals since winning the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup.
The Aces established command right in the opening period then endured a bruising battle through the next three quarters as they subdued the E-Painters, 94-78, Monday.
Beaten at the start of both Games One and Two, the Aces turned things around in this game, then held their ground in a showdown replete in physicality.
While the Elasto Painters lost Guiao and Belga on technical fouls, the Aces finished the game cool, composed and triumphant.
The Elasto Painters emerged from their lockers long after almost everybody at the MOA was gone.
“Longest post-game sermon. Think that was more than 1 hour. Need to play better,” said Rain or Shine player Chris Tiu on his Twitter account.
The fiery RoS bench chieftain said he just emphasized the importance of the next game.
It’s the virtual deciding game.
It could really be all over if the Aces make it 3-1. A victory by Rain or Shine, on the other hand, sends the two teams back to the drawing boards as they practically start their battle all over again. (SB)
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