PBA IMAGE/ Nuki Sabio
DIGOS, Davao del Sur—Want to know how valuable JV Casio is?
Despite manhandling Powerade in Game 1 of their PBA Philippine Cup title series Friday night here, Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes believes that the burden of adjustment is on them in Game 2 with Casio expected to return for the Tigers.
And with an ace still left in his deck, Powerade coach Bo Perasol, notwithstanding a 16-point series-opening loss, remained confident and even sounded upbeat when the teams went back to Manila Saturday.
“We may win a game without JV, but we can definitely not win the series without him,” Perasol said.
Casio, the top overall pick in the last Draft, sat out Game 1 as Perasol decided that his prized rookie’s right hamstring need some time to rest after being bruised somewhat in the Tigers’ semifinal series with Rain or Shine.
“We just shot incredibly well and it wasn’t easy (despite what the final score says),” Reyes said. “And they didn’t have that guy,” he added, pointing to the Powerade rookie and shaking his hand in a brief meeting at the airport.
“This is a series and we have to be able to make the adjustments even if we won the previous game,” he continued. “We have to be able to adjust because JV Casio is returning (for Game 2).”
With the former La Salle ace set to make his return when the second game is played tomorrow at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, even Powerade superstar Gary David is confident of bouncing back from his worst game of these playoffs.
While he remains the tourney’s leading scorer, his 19-point effort in Game 1 paled in comparison to the many offensive outbursts he’s had in the playoffs.
And the pacesetter for the Best Player of the Conference award knows that he needs Casio’s presence to be able to have a shot at replicating those games.
“The focus of their defense becomes easier if JV is not around,” David said in Filipino, acknowledging the fact that it is easy for the Texters to double-team him if one member of Powerade’s Big Three is not there.
Casio won’t actually say that he is slated to play in his first championship game tomorrow night at 6:45, but it was Perasol himself who gave that away.
“You couldn’t keep a player like JV out of the court for so long,” Perasol said.