Beermen brace for toughest stretch yet in PH Cup

San Miguel may be on top of the 2017 PBA Philippine Cup standings, but it’s bound go on its toughest stretch to start the new year.

The Beermen faces an upstart Blackwater on Friday, followed by Ginebra on Sunday and Rain or Shine next Friday before wrapping it up against GlobalPort and TNT.

And coach Leo Austria is challenging his crew to come out of the span victorious with the Beermen seeking to nab one of the top two spots to end the eliminations.

“I want them to step up because we know we have to get to our right peak. We know that our opponents are getting tougher, but I have my full trust on my players because they know what our situation is. After the holidays, we’re focused and back to business,” he said on Tuesday.

San Miguel will miss the services of Alex Cabagnot, who is still nursing a broken nose, for its first game of 2017, leaving the bulk of responsibility to the other veterans of the squad.

The two-time Coach of the Year acknowledges the tough task at hand for the defending champs, who hold the top spot with a 5-1 card.

“The second half of the elimination is really hard for us because we’re facing the probable top four teams in this tournament,” said Austria.

A win against the Elite this week will assure the Beermen a spot in the quarterfinals, and inching them closer to those coveted top two spots, which is exactly what Austria has in mind.

“Right now, we have to win our next three or four games. The main goal is to get into one of the top two slots and to step up once we’re in the quarterfinals,” the mentor said.

Fortunately for Austria, San Miguel knows the gravity of the task with the players having no let-ups even during the Yuletide season.

“I think we’re on the right track because you can see it with their aura. Although they’re having fun, what’s important is they already know what to do. Their camaraderie is good and you can see that everybody’s in a good mood,” he said.