MANILA, Philippines–Tim Cone joked about having experienced losing everything a coach could possibly lose in a career. Everybody who heard him knew he was serious about things like that not happening again.
The Aces, their heels cooled, lungs rested, and battered bodies refreshed by a three-day break, gun for a commanding 3-0 lead over San Miguel Beer Wednesday when the best-of-seven championship series for the PBA Fiesta Conference resumes at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
But the Alaska mentor downplayed a big edge, painting Game 3 in a different manner. It is not about going up, 3-0, against a powerhouse squad as it is making sure that the Aces don’t experience what Cone has already went through before.
“I’ve lost a 2-0 lead, a 3-1 lead, everything you could ever lose in a career,” Cone said with a wide grin after an 89-83 victory Sunday night, also at the Big Dome. “So no, I am not confident.”
This will be the Aces’ 15th straight game in a month and two days, but it’s officially safe to say that fatigue has stopped being a factor in the series. With the three-day break finally coming into play, the Aces will go up against the Beermen with their energy supply replenished.
That break was made even more important by the fact that starting playmaker and MVP candidate LA Tenorio was taken to the hospital immediately after Game 2 for IV treatment after suffering from diarrhea Saturday.
“We have to make sure that we come out and play to win,” Cone explained when asked how they would treat the third game. “We have to be aggressive and go for the win and not try to just hold on to the series lead.
“It’s just a 2-0 lead and it takes four wins to win a series.”
Diamon Simpson will again be Cone’s main weapon, and the 22-year-old, who lost out narrowly to San Miguel’s Gabriel Freeman in the Best Import derby, made it clear he made the trip here for a different piece of hardware.
“I want a championship,” Simpson told reporters after unloading 28 points that went with 17 boards in the Game 2 win. “I am not worried about (losing) the (Best Import) award like everyone thinks I am.”
Simpson said the Aces won’t attain their goal without the hardwork that has characterized their campaign in this tournament.
“I bet their (Beermen’s) coach (Siot Tanquingcen) will have a different scheme, a whole new set of plays and a different attitude,” Simpson added. “We’ll just try to play hard and win the championship.”
Part of the new scheme that Simpson could be anticipating is for Tanquingcen to finally throw in Arwind Santos to defend against the Alaska import, who has been nothing short of dominating in the first two games.
Santos has proven his worth as a stopper after holding high-scoring Derby Ace import Tony Washam to minimum numbers in a 4-2 Final Four victory over the Llamados.
Freeman has been troubled by fouls in both games and was actually limited to 14 points, after exploding for 37 in the series opener. For the Beermen to have a chance, Freeman must be able to play until the stretch and help the Beermen dominate inside.
Meanwhile, the season-ending Leo Awards will be held at 5:15 with Derby Ace gunslinger James Yap and teammate Rico Maierhofer favored to win the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards, respectively.
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