Sniper fire

It’s not getting its deserved attention in the series, what with all the emotions and physicality taking the spotlight. But three-point shooting is turning out to be quite a weapon in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals series between TNT and San Miguel Beer.

After coming up with games in the conference where they had more attempts from beyond the arc than from inside it, the KaTropa have zoomed to a 2-1 series lead largely on their ability to make the three.

Active consultant Mark Dickel downplayed his team’s reliance on outside marksmanship, saying the TNT’s free-flowing offense—a carrot he dangles so players will stick to his defensive schemes—takes care of creating open shots from beyond the arc.

“Defense [has always been] always our priority,” he told the Inquirer on the eve of Game 4 where he and his charges shoot for a crucial 3-1 lead in their race-to-four duel. “Our offensive freedom is a reward for sticking to our rules on defense.”

But the numbers say something else.

TNT has made more triples in the series so far, making 44 of its 122 attempts, compared to San Miguel Beer, which has drained just 31 of 82 long bombs.

More importantly, the series trend has the team with more three-pointers made winning.

In Game 1, TNT had a 13-5 edge in three-pointers made for a 39-15 edge in points in a 109-96 victory. The KaTropa also outscored the Beermen from beyond the arc in Game 3, 45-24, after making 15 triples against 8 by their foes in a 115-105 victory.

San Miguel took a close 127-125 double-overtime victory in Game 2, where the Beermen edged the KaTropa in threes made, 18-16.

San Miguel coach Leo Austria acknowledged that triples will be a factor as his team tries to knot up the series anew starting at 6:35 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum—by pointing to it as a key factor in his team’s Game 3 defeat.

“Some of our shots we didn’t make came from the people who delivered before. We could see it, we only shot 8-of-26 against their 15-of-38,” he told reporters.

TNT’s open looks from beyond the arc emanates from Terrence Jones, whose dominance has had San Miguel defenders camping around him and getting very physical.

But Dickel remains unbothered by what he deems as an attempt to distract Jones.

“Not one member of our team cares about San Miguel’s antics or what they are saying or doing,” Dickel said.

WWE wrestling

Jones, who had been visibly temperamental throughout the series, figured in multiple altercations in Game 3. First was with Chris Ross, who he head-butted early into the game and then with Christian Standhardinger who he locked arms with late in the third quarter.

“From a purely basketball perspective, what they are doing against Terrence Jones is ugly,” he said. “Their tactics remind me of WWE wrestling where everyone on their team either on the court or off are doing everything they can do to get him off his game.

“Basketball is played on the court. Ultimately, the players [should] determine the outcome of the game. I love our teams focus and how we have not been affected by anything that could take our focus away from our job, which is to play the game,” Dickel added.

But at the same time, he refuses to lean on that one-game edge as he seeks to end a TNT title drought.

“We are not excited or happy to be up 2-1. We have to get four wins,” he told the Inquirer on Saturday.

“We know San Miguel can play a good game, [so we] have to come ready to play an equally great game,” he said of Game 4.

Austria, meanwhile, felt that his team lost its composure after TNT rallied to overhaul an early deficit.

“We panicked a little bit when (TNT) came back,” he said.

“I think we had a good chance to win this third game but it’s our fault—especially on my part. I was not able to use a lot of timeouts. Sometimes I let the players play (too much).

Meanwhile, it seems that Jones was lucky to have avoided ejection in Game 3 after his headbutt on San Miguel Beer guard Chris Ross. Upon review, the league upgraded the flagrant foul penalty 1 slapped on him to flagrant foul penalty 2.

He was also fined P20,000.

Jones again flashed his all-around brilliance in Game 3, finishing with 37 points, 18 rebounds, nine assists and five blocks to spearhead TNT’s rally from 17 points down.

Beermen forward Standhardinger was also fined P5,000 for his flagrant 1 against Jones. The two got locked up in a rebound play and Standhardinger was caught elbowing the TNT import.

Jones is also tipped to win the Best Import plum during the awarding ceremony where the Best Player of the Conference will also be named before Game 4 tips off. —WITH A REPORT FROM MARK GIONGCO, INQUIRER.NET