Marc Pingris of San Mig Coffee (dark) vs Paul Lee and Beau Belga of Rain or Shine (light). Nuki Sabio/PBA
For the first time in the best-of-seven series for the PLDT MyDSL Philippine Cup championship, San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone sounded a little worried.
“I felt for the first time tonight that our guys played a little tired,” Cone said, moments after a 77-76 Game 3 win over Rain or Shine that gave his Mixers a 2-1 edge at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “I thought we showed a little fatigue tonight.”
And for Game 4 slated at 8 p.m. today also at the Big Dome in Cubao, Cone, who has won the last two games and seems to have a grasp of the Rain or Shine game, will be looking for just one thing: “We need to find our second wind.”
The Mixers will try to all but put the Elasto Painters away with another victory tonight, but it certainly is easier said than done since Rain or Shine will also be coming out hard to avenge that loss and tie this all up.
“We’re disappointed, but we’re not discouraged,” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao said.
Going down 1-3 against a formidable squad like the Mixers will certainly be a tall mountain to scale for the Painters, who are in the Finals of this tournament for the second straight year but have won just one game so far.
Rain or Shine had 10.6 seconds to come up with a game-winning play on Wednesday night but just got one attempt—a three-point shot by Jeff Chan from about 30 feet—which fell a tad short of the mark.
The Painters had control of most of Game 3, only to blow them all. They had a nine-point lead with 1:35 left before the half but allowed eight straight points by the Mixers to close out the second period.
In the third quarter, the Painters also took several eight-point bubbles but found themselves trailing by three, 2:54 to play.
Rain or Shine had its chances, as San Mig went scoreless since taking that 77-74 lead.
James Yap and Peter June Simon will again be the main San Mig guns, but Rain or Shine must find a way to hit baskets from the inside.
Paul Lee scored 23 points for the Painters in Game 3 and Guiao could be looking at allowing the creative point guard more leeway on offense.
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