Gutsy basketball that stirs and sells

(WIN-WIN START: A salute to Son of God Sports Management on its colorful launch at the Davao Sports and Recreation Center [formerly Almendras Stadium] in a tie-up with City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and sportsman Manny Piñol, whose boxers at the Braveheart Stable are sure to benefit from the bright development, together with countless other promising athletes in the region. With the blessing and whole-hearted support of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ congregation, the world-class project can only be expected to succeed and bear fruit in the form of Filipino greatness in sports.)

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THE SAN MIG Coffee team took an initial edge the hard way and, based on the complicated ending of Game One, it would be a doubly arduous ride to a dream Grand Slam for the Mixers in the current PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.

The favored Mixers will likely go through the wringer, so to say.

In fact, an officiating controversy centering on a non-call that favored San Mig Coffee hounded league organizers as they headed for tonight’s Game 2 of the best-of-five title playoffs.

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At least, the Game 1 snafu had nothing to do whatsoever with the ruthless defense the fiery Rain or Shine team had been accused of wielding.

That doesn’t mean though that there would be less of the pesky stand which has become the calling card of coach Yeng Guiao and his Elasto Painters team.

As Guiao has maintained, physical is how they train and play, and fans cannot expect any form of soft-pedaling, no matter how they get slammed and slurred for their gutsy character.

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Guiao did not say it, but nobody has been taken to the hospital after a game against the rugged Elasto Painters.

No flagrant foul, thus far, has been called on them, Guiao continued to claim.

Yes, and please add to this the fact that theirs is hot, unforgiving basketball that sells.

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Not to say the blood-thirsty among old-time basketball fans have started reporting back to the coliseum.

It just so happens that majority among the hordes that report for Elasto team games are often at the edge of their seats for the unpredictable, as in the days when loveable hardcourt scoundrels like Charlie Badion and Tembong Melencio were the toast of the stirred basketball town.

Does this mean the Elasto Painters savor playing the role of the season’s favorite hardcourt villains?

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This won’t be easy to sell, but Guiao has claimed they were actually often on the receiving end of violent shifts and plays.

If Guiao had been repeatedly slapped a technical foul, it was also often in protest against what he perceived was biased officiating centering on non-calls victimizing his men.

Fans from both side of the fence can continue to debate.

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But if there has to be a positive side to these accusations of ruthless play against Rain or Shine, it’s in the fact that the toughness has visibly heightened the level of play in the championship series alone.

San Mig coach Tim Cone himself swore the winning moves essayed by James Yap that capped their come-from-behind triumph on Monday were out of this world.

In short, we can all expect the unforgiving defense patented by Rain or Shine to continue bringing out the best in the opponent.

Pardon the exaggeration, but the crown in the current championship series will have to be bought with blood and tears.