RAFI Reavis (right) of San Mig Coffee challenges an attempt by Rain or Shine’s Ryan Araña. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
MANILA, Philippines — San Mig Coffee is still haunted by its previous championship defeat at the hands of Rain Or Shine.
The Mixers clawed their way back from a 3-1 hole in the best-of-seven 2012 PBA Governors Cup title showdown and forced a deciding Game 7 only to lose everything in the end.
They could stop the nagging nightmare Wednesday night at the resumption of the PLDT MyDSL PBA Philippine Cup Finals at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“This is going to be a battle to the end. If anything resonates with me, it’s the last time we played this team (in the Finals),” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.
“We were down 3-1 (in that series). We won the next two games and lost Game 7.”
Roles have been reversed this time with the Mixers ahead, 3-2, in the race-to-four finale and the Elasto Painters needing to muster all the courage they have to stay alive and stretch the confrontation to the limit.
Finals MVP contenders Marc Pingris, James Yap and Joe DeVance have been up to the task in San Mig’s quest for a back-to-back crown following their Governors Cup victory.
Much is also expected from guards Mark Barroca and PJ Simon, who was the missing link in the Mixers’ 74-81 Game 5 loss to the Elasto Painters.
Looking for his first all-Filipino title as PBA coach for over two decades, Rain Or Shine coach Yeng Guiao has been mentally motivating his Elasto Painters, consistently telling them not to crack up under pressure.
Guiao believes a seventh game hinges on the offensive fireworks that lights-out shooter Jeff Chan and third year guard Paul Lee could generate as well as the competitive zeal of Chris Tiu, Beau Belga, Gabe Norwood, JR Quinahan and Ryan Arana, among others.
“If we want to win, we have to have another game like this (Game 5),” said Guiao.
“We’re hoping they get tired but the way the series is going, they’re not getting tired. We’ll see each other on Wednesday (today) and hopefully on Friday,” added the fiery mentor.