ON THE heels of a swashbuckling Game 1 win, the Petron Blaze Boosters shoot for a big 2-0 lead over the San Mig Coffee Mixers in their best-of-seven PBA Governors’ Cup title series today at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
After dropping 41 fourth quarter points in a 100-84 series-opening win on Friday which left Petron coach Gee Abanilla wondering how it happened, the Boosters have momentum on their side in the 4:45 p.m. contest.
“I still don’t know. I’m surprised also. Maybe we got into a rhythm,” Abanilla said after his Boosters drained seven triples in the fourth and after three of his players outscored the entire San Mig crew by 10 in the period.
And after the whipping they took, Mixers coach Tim Cone now is asking his boys to play harder.
“We didn’t play well throughout our lineup,” a dejected Cone said Friday night, obviously disappointed at the overall effort by his Mixers. “We didn’t have total team effort. I thought we played a little satisfied tonight—satisfied and happy that we’re in the finals.
“We need to bring our best against this team,” added the Grand Slam-winning mentor, who will tie his idol Baby Dalupan with the most championships by a coach at 15 if he wins this series.
Elijah Millsap is also proving to be an unsolvable puzzle for Cone with the Petron import not only dominating offensively, but also getting teammates involved. On Friday, he chalked up the third triple double of the tournament with 35 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Millsap also owns the two previous triple doubles of the conference.
Meanwhile, the Best Player of the Conference and Best Import awards will be handed out before tip-off.