‘One last push’ as Painters gun for title anew

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

THERE’S no doubt that Rain or Shine is feeling the heat at this point.

For the third straight time, the Elasto Painters will try to close out Alaska today and get the Oppo-PBA Commissioner’s Cup title playoffs over and done with or face the Aces in a game where the pressure could be at its numbing worst.

After seeing a 3-0 lead dwindle down to just a game, the Painters clash with the Aces in Game 6 at 7 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao. And whether Rain or Shine admits it or not, it wouldn’t want to see this series drag on to a decider.

“I still like where we are now,” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao told sportswriters on Sunday night, hours after losing Game 5, 78-86. “Put it this way, if it’s pressure we’re talking about, I wouldn’t trade places with [Alaska]. We still have two chances and they can’t afford a loss. We’re still in pretty good shape.”

In yesterday’s practice, however, Guiao spoke with a little more exigency.

“You have to have that (do-or-die) mentality,” he said. “Everyone feels that sense of urgency. But the effort should be there. You should not think that you can divide your effort into two more games. We need to treat this as one last effort, one last game, one last push.”

Alaska blew the Painters off the floor in Game 4 last Friday before holding the fort in a thrilling endgame two nights later to creep closer and make a series out of this again.

“The biggest adjustment we need to make is to play good defense without fouling, without giving up too many free throws,” he said.

Coach Alex Compton may say otherwise but the Aces have extra motivation to complete their comeback: They want to erase the stigma of being the only team in the league’s 41 years to have blown a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven title series.

Despite two straight defeats, Guiao said that his team is not about—and will never—fall apart, even after the celebrated incident between Jeff Chan and Beau Belga in the waning minutes that was seen by the public.

“We are family here, this is a close-knit team,” Guiao told the Inquirer. “I actually did not notice it [happening on the bench] and I didn’t feel it inside the locker room [after the game].”

Chan admonished Belga for committing a deliberate foul on Calvin Abueva that resulted in a 76-69 deficit for the Painters.

“It’s a simple discussion among brothers and it will not affect the team,” Guiao said.

Belga has since vowed to atone for that crucial mistake after admitting his lapse.

“I am weighing the team down,” said the wide-bodied Belga. “I haven’t been able to help so it’s time to be serious. Let us see what the effect will be [today].”

“We’ve already won three straight against Alaska; what’s one more?” Belga added. “We just need to reset our mindset and focus on what we need to do to get the job done.” With a report from Randolph B. Leongson, Inquirer.net