PETRON hopes to draw a lot more from newly minted season MVP Arwind Santos in Game 6. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
San Mig Coffee is in the lead in the PBA Governors’ Cup title series against Petron Blaze, and with the chance to close it out today, coach Tim Cone wants his squad to be the one to play with the sense of urgency.
“Needless to say, we don’t want to see a Game 7,” Cone said in a text message as his Mixers try to close out the fancied Boosters at 8 p.m. today and become the latest underdogs to win a title at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
“We have to be careful that we don’t look ahead and make sure we’re focused on what’s in front of us,” he said. “We said from the very beginning that we have to fire on all cylinders to win this series and that still holds.”
After winning the last two games of the best-of-seven series—the Game 5 win on Sunday proving to be the most authoritative—there’s no doubt that the Mixers have the momentum in today’s potential title-clinching game.
Marqus Blakely has been a steady force for Cone, who can equal the legendary Baby Dalupan’s all-time mark in titles won with 15 should he steer the Mixers all the way.
Mark Barroca, on the other hand, has been the surprise package in the series and could wind up winning the Finals MVP award if the Mixers manage to snare the crown. His 22-point eruption on Sunday proved key to a 114-103 victory.
San Mig has proven that it can win a mano-a-mano shooting contest against the Boosters, who will have to do a better job defending the many offensive options of Cone and avoid playing this game looking from behind.
An early lead seems to be the formula that Cone has been looking for, as the three San Mig wins validate that.
“We need to keep them guessing,” Cone said.
June Mar Fajardo and Elijah Millsap will again continue to lead the Boosters, who hope to get more production from Arwind Santos, who has played below expectations in the last two games after being named season MVP.
Meanwhile, Kerby Raymundo, the former All-Star and Mythical Team member, will be reunited with former coach Ryan Gregorio at Meralco after the Bolts yesterday came to terms with Barangay Ginebra for a trade.
The Gin Kings got the under-achieving Jay-R Reyes from the Bolts as they try to address their problems with finding a legitimate center that can complement playmaker LA Tenorio and gunner Mark Caguioa.