(From Business Mirror)
Alaska and San Miguel Beer will be working to increase the pressure on their rivals and inch closer toward a possible championship showdown in the Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference.
The two teams regained control of their respective semifinal match-ups with down-the-wire victories on Sunday, which Alaska coach Tim Cone described as “very crucial.”
A 90-86 win gave Alaska a 2-1 lead over Talk ’N Text in the best-of-seven series. That allowed the Aces to relax in practice on Monday and Tuesday.
“We’re hoping the extra day break has refreshed us and we go into Game Four on even terms with TNT,” said Cone of their 5 o’clock encounter with the Tropang Texters on Wednesday at the Astrodome.
The Alaska coach is expecting TNT to come back strong in Game Four as it did in Game Two, so he is keeping his fingers crossed the Aces would be able to fan a streak.
“Usually, the team who can win back-to-back in a series wins it,” Cone said.
With import Diamon Simpson asserting his dominance over counterpart Shawn Daniels and LA Tenorio taking charge when the going gets tough, Cone has a reason to be optimistic.
Cone has won 12 championships for Alaska and his last one came in 2007 in the same conference also at the expense of TNT, then coached by Joel Banal, who is now one of his assistants.
Momentum may be on Alaska’s side but Chot Reyes, coach of the top-seeded Texters, is confident his chargers will rise to the challenge and tie the series.
All they have to do, he said, is to contain Simpson and match Alaska’s aggressiveness.
“We lost Game Three because Simpson is thoroughly dominating Daniels and they [Aces] took 34 free throws to our 13. If we’re able to solve at least one of these then we’ll have a chance in Game Four,” Reyes said.
For San Miguel Beer coach Siot Tanquingcen, their ability to play tough defense will be key to winning Game Four against B-Meg Derby Ace.
Making his ninth semifinal appearance, Tanquingcen said he expects their 7:30 p.m. encounter against the Llamados to be as close as Game Three which they won, 74-70.
“Nothing will be given to you in this series. You will have to work for it,” Tanquingcen said.
The Llamados remain upbeat despite Sunday’s loss but will have to improve on their shooting to be able to compete against the Beermen, according to B-Meg Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio.
“Our offense [in Game Three] was pathetic. We only scored 70 points after exploding with 95 points in Game Two. We know for a fact that we couldn’t win against SMB if we don’t score in the high 90s,” Gregorio said.
He gave his troops a break on Monday to enable them to recharge.
“We have no legs last Sunday, something that worries me because I have a short rotation which means that my players play longer minutes.” Gregorio said.
Alaska and San Miguel Beer will be working to increase the pressure on their rivals and inch closer toward a possible championship showdown in the Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference.
The two teams regained control of their respective semifinal match-ups with down-the-wire victories on Sunday, which Alaska coach Tim Cone described as “very crucial.”
A 90-86 win gave Alaska a 2-1 lead over Talk ’N Text in the best-of-seven series. That allowed the Aces to relax in practice on Monday and Tuesday.
“We’re hoping the extra day break has refreshed us and we go into Game Four on even terms with TNT,” said Cone of their 5 o’clock encounter with the Tropang Texters on Wednesday at the Astrodome.
The Alaska coach is expecting TNT to come back strong in Game Four as it did in Game Two, so he is keeping his fingers crossed the Aces would be able to fan a streak.
“Usually, the team who can win back-to-back in a series wins it,” Cone said.
With import Diamon Simpson asserting his dominance over counterpart Shawn Daniels and LA Tenorio taking charge when the going gets tough, Cone has a reason to be optimistic.
Cone has won 12 championships for Alaska and his last one came in 2007 in the same conference also at the expense of TNT, then coached by Joel Banal, who is now one of his assistants.
Momentum may be on Alaska’s side but Chot Reyes, coach of the top-seeded Texters, is confident his chargers will rise to the challenge and tie the series.
All they have to do, he said, is to contain Simpson and match Alaska’s aggressiveness.
“We lost Game Three because Simpson is thoroughly dominating Daniels and they [Aces] took 34 free throws to our 13. If we’re able to solve at least one of these then we’ll have a chance in Game Four,” Reyes said.
For San Miguel Beer coach Siot Tanquingcen, their ability to play tough defense will be key to winning Game Four against B-Meg Derby Ace.
Making his ninth semifinal appearance, Tanquingcen said he expects their 7:30 p.m. encounter against the Llamados to be as close as Game Three which they won, 74-70.
“Nothing will be given to you in this series. You will have to work for it,” Tanquingcen said.
The Llamados remain upbeat despite Sunday’s loss but will have to improve on their shooting to be able to compete against the Beermen, according to B-Meg Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio.
“Our offense [in Game Three] was pathetic. We only scored 70 points after exploding with 95 points in Game Two. We know for a fact that we couldn’t win against SMB if we don’t score in the high 90s,” Gregorio said.
He gave his troops a break on Monday to enable them to recharge.
“We have no legs last Sunday, something that worries me because I have a short rotation which means that my players play longer minutes.” Gregorio said.
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