Cignal-Ateneo aims to inch closer to the PBA D-League crown when it battles Centro Escolar University Tuesday in Game Two of the best-of-five Finals at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
The Blue Eagles handily beat the Scorpions, 101-66, last Thursday, in what was easily the most lopsided Finals game in the history of the developmental league.
Isaac Go led the way in the that annihilation with 17 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range, as Cignal-Ateneo went 16-of-38 from that distance overall in the series opener.
But as dominant as they were in Game 1, the Blue Eagles know that overconfidence will lead to their downfall, no matter how favored they are in the series.
“We cannot take them for granted because they’re in the Finals for a reason. We just want to make sure that we don’t get complacent,” said deputy coach Sandy Arespacochaga.
Go, Thirdy Ravena, and Ange Kouame will once again lead Cignal-Ateneo in the 4 p.m. game.
CEU, meanwhile, admits that it was intimidated by its fancied foe, which is why coach Derrick Pumaren urged his crew to give its all to not fall in a 0-2 hole.
“We just have to believe that we can compete with them. We have to show that heart and fight on Game 2,” he said.