Two-time defending champion EcoOil-La Salle goes for the kill against Go Torakku-St. Clare in Game 2 of their best-of-three semifinal series Tuesday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
The Green Archers clobbered the Saints, 85-65, in Game 1 and they intend to get the job done at 7:30 p.m. to secure their third finals appearance against the winner of the other semifinal series between Centro Escolar University and Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda.
But that is easier said than done, warned La Salle assistant coach Gian Nazario.
"It brings us closer to where we want to but the series is not over. Again, we have to respect St. Clare as a team and it will be the same in Game 2," he said.
The Green Archers back pulled away overe the Saints in the Classification phase, 90-63, but met a strong resistance in Game 1 of the best-of-three semifinal series.
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Without Jonnel Policarpio (stomach flu) and EJ Gollena (hamstring), La Salle even played catch-up basketball in the first half, trailed by as many as nine points before regrouping and restoring order in the last two quarters to turn the game around in their favor.
For Nazario, their three-peat bid will take care of itself as long as they take care of business -- slowly but surely.
"Hindi namin iniisip 'yun . Tulad ng end of classification round, we just want to take all the opportunity that we have and hopefully we get better from there," added Nazario.
The wards of coach Jinino Manansala, on the other hand, vow a fight for dear life and hopefully force a winner-take-all Game 3. (JBU)
