INQUIRER Sports

TALK ?N TEXT?S CHOT REYES AND PUREFOODS? Ryan Gregorio would?ve wanted nothing more than to have closed out their respective series in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals last Wednesday.

That?s because with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five showdown, it would have been confidence-boosting to have finished off their opponents and start preparing for the next round against an opponent that?s been resting and prepping for the last two weeks.

Early semifinalists Alaska and San Miguel Beer earned outright passage by finishing 1-2 in the classification round. San Miguel awaits the winner of the Rain or Shine-Purefoods battle while Alaska battles the victor of the TNT-Barangay Ginebra series.

San Miguel and Alaska coaches have been scouting the ongoing quarterfinals but it?s safe to say that they want to get their teams back in competition as soon as possible.

There?s only so much practice you can do or DVDs you can watch. The hoop gladiators need their adrenalin rushes on the court in an actual game.

* * *

Closing out is never really easy. You can use all the sports clichés to describe what could be lacking in the team that can?t finish the job: ebbing focus, not being on the same page or lacking gas in the tank.

But let?s face it. Finishing a series is not the easiest to do even with the most commanding of leads. Anxiety can lead to overexcitement, thus botching even the most routine plays or missing obvious defensive assignments.

What?s more, the team with its back against the wall will kick and snarl like crazy to stay alive and play one more game. That?s the worst opponent to play.

Sports history is filled with tales of teams with seemingly insurmountable playoff leads only to fail in closing out a series.

* * *

In Game 3 of the TNT-Ginebra series, the Tropang Texters did everything possible in the endgame to turn the tables on a team that couldn?t nail crucial free throws.

It clawed back from 13 points down to force a cardiac game. And yet TNT couldn?t hit the open treys manufactured out of well-designed plays.

That?s basketball, and the point of the game is to put the ball in the basket. Ginebra survived Game 3 and the series with a 102-97 triumph.

Rain or Shine has continued to display remarkable resilience in the playoffs. Perhaps given up for gone with that harrowing loss in Game 2, the Elasto Painters showed resolve not to melt down again and won Game 3, 95-92.

Rain or Shine is proof that the playoffs can change a team. The Elasto Painters could not win a game in the homestretch of the classification and finished No. 9. And yet come the wild-card round, they stopped Sta. Lucia and Coca-Cola to set a date with Purefoods.

The Tender Juicy Giants knew from the start that Rain or Shine would be a ferocious opponent in the quarterfinals and this has been clear despite Purefoods? early 2-0 lead.

* * *

So what?s going to happen next in the series? If Ginebra continues to play unforgiving defense that holds TNT below 100 points and hits crucial free throws, then there might be a fifth game.

If Talk ?N Text uses its press to maximum efficiency, then Ginebra may be forced into more turnovers and have less chances to excite the crowd with its emotion-filled basketball.

Purefoods needs to finish the job this Friday. Giving Rain or Shine a new lease on life is precarious given that the Elasto Painters have learned to play hard in even the stormiest weather.