PIT two squads armed with brilliant coaches, prolific imports and topnotch locals, not to mention intense hunger to win, and expect one hell of a title duel that could even go the full route.
So it's not a surprise that opposing coaches Tim Cone of Barangay Ginebra and Chot Reyes of TNT are bracing for a potential war of attrition for the PBA Season 49 Governors' Cup crown.
"Hard to tell but yeah, I think it will go at least six games," said Reyes, whose troops are determined to retain the diadem they also won at the expense of the Gin Kings back in Season 47.
"I think you always plan for a long series. When you go into Game 1 and Game 2, you're thinking it's going to be a long series and you're playing your lineups that way," said Cone.
"I think you start the series thinking it's gonna be a minimum of six or seven (games) but it may change as the series goes on. You lose the first two games, maybe you're a little desperate and you play your lineup a little bit differently; you win the first two games, same thing. But I think when you start the series, you think it's gonna go full, you prepare it that way," Cone added.
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The Tropang Giga led by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Calvin Oftana, RR Pogoy, Rey Nambatac, Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams and the Gin Kings bannered by Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, Stephen Holt and RJ Abarrientos, open hostilities Sunday in Antipolo.
At stake is a 1-0 head start of what's anticipated as a tight race-to-four affair.
"In a long series it's (Game 1 victory) important," said Reyes. "But we've won a lot of series where we lost the first game. The important thing is (to) continue (performing well all the way through)." (OL)
