PBA s’finals: Mind game being played

THE ONGOING Smart Bro Philippine Cup is a pair of seven-game series where the teams that get into the heads of the other will succeed and march into the finals.

In the GlobalPort Batang Pier-Alaska showdown, the guard-anchored team of Pido Jarencio took Game 1 with a ferocious display of shoot ‘em up basketball. Terrific Terrence Romeo uncorked 41 points and three other teammates chipped in twin digits to score the win.

Alaska could not keep in step and made only 18 of 33 charities. According to coach Alex Compton, their defense against Romeo was short of applauding the former FEU Tamaraw’s every trey and drive.

Clearly, Alaska had Romeo in their heads and they needed to do something quickly defensively to prevent a complete rundown by GlobalPort.

In Game 2, defense did it for the Aces as they forced the GlobalPort scorers out of their sweet spots. They banged when they had to and Calvin Abueva made sure that the Batang Pier frontline had him in their thoughts. Abueva also helped light a fire in a first half fracas that had 13 technical fouls slapped against all those who threw stares, shoves or words. Even those trying to pacify the hotheads got their share of Ts.

In the end, Alaska tied the series with a 100-76 emphatic win, carved out by playing with better control and sharper defensive purpose. The prolific frontline of GlobalPort from Game 1 was not heard from in the second round. The ejection of Jay Washington did not help the Batang Pier frontline as well. Washington was scoring when everyone else from Batang Pier seemed to miss but he got caught up in too many physical exchanges underneath.

Alaska made sure that they got into the heads of GlobalPort in Game 2.

By the time you read this, you already know if Rain or Shine recovered in Game 2 from that crushing Game 1 loss to San Miguel after leading by as many as 20 points in the second half. The Elasto Painters played with more fire and passion in the early goings and clearly messed up the confidence of the Beermen.

But that was until Ronald Tubid and Chris Ross got into not just the heads of the Elasto Painters but under their skin as well. By stealing the ball and firing off balance treys, this pair of longhaired speedsters engineered the resurgence the defending champions needed. Ross stole the ball repeatedly and Tubid stayed in the faces of the Elasto Painters, whether they were guards or forwards.

If Rain or Shine was still hobbling in Game 2, then maybe the Beermen have gotten into the minds and hearts of the Painters.

The sides that manage their fire, intensity and passion should emerge triumphant in a series where there is enough talent to go around. If opponents get into your heads, then you may have to snap out of it quickly before it’s too late.