LEADING the series at 2-1 and with momentum on his side, all that Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes wants is for his Tropang Texters to stay on their toes.
Coming off a lopsided loss and looking like the series underdog, Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico and his Gin Kings, meanwhile, are surprisingly exuding more confidence.
And that about sums up how both mentors are taking things heading into the critical fourth game tonight of the best-of-seven title series for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
“We’ve been here before: 1-2 down, 1-3 down, 0-2 down,” Uichico told reporters, a night after the Kings took an 88-104 beating from the Texters at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum in Palawan.
“There is no need to panic, and we won’t panic,” Uichico added. “We’re in the Finals, mind you. You panic when you’re in the eliminations.”
Ginebra will come into the 7 p.m. game needing no less than a win to stay in the series as the Texters have seemingly gotten their bearings back after a tight Game 2 loss.
And Reyes is making sure that a repeat of that foldup doesn’t happen again.
“No, it wasn’t a case of overconfidence,” Reyes said of the Game 2 defeat after a series-opening win that was as easy as the third game Sunday night.
“What happened then was we allowed them (Gin Kings) to outwork us,” Reyes continued. “I am making sure that they (Texters) stay on their toes—now, more than always.”
Talk ‘N Text’s second win in the series came in basically the same manner as the first, with the Texters breaking free in the third quarter to triumph with plenty to spare.