RAIN or Shine has another clear shot at truly snapping out of TNT's spell and intends to go all out Wednesday in Game 4 of their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals matchup at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
A fitting follow-up to their emphatic 107-86 win last Sunday is on the crosshairs of the Elasto Painters, who are bidding to tie the best-of-seven series up at two games apiece and from there move closer to what coach Yeng Guiao projects.
"Our best chance is to make this series long. If it becomes a short series talo kami," said Guiao after Game 3.
"So at least nanalo kami ngayon, we know it's going to be five games. Pag nanalo pa kami, we know it's going to be six games. So we know our best chance is really taking this series to the stretch," added the grizzled tactician.
From the looks of it, TNT seems poised to be at a disadvantage anew since Roger Pogoy, who already sat out Game 3, remains doubtful due to a hamstring injury he aggravated early in Game 2 and would be less than 100 percent if does suit up.
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Without the star guard who scored 28 points in a 98-91 win in the series opener, Rain or Shine was able to zero in on Calvin Oftana, who was limited to just three quarters of action and 16 points last Sunday, just two days after exploding for 39 in a 113-105 overtime win.
What irks TNT coach Chot Reyes more is his players' seeming lack of aggression and energy in stark contrast to Rain or Shine, enabling the E-Painters to take firm control right in the opening minutes of the first quarter and build up at a lead that reached a high of 29 points.
"Rain or Shine came out and wanted the game so much more. They were a little more aggressive. We were not able to match it," said Reyes, even pointing to the three free throws his Tropang 5G took for the entire Game 3.
In contrast, the E-Painters were awarded 18 free throws and made 16 of those, atoning for their 20o-of-34 clip from the stripes in Game 3.
Guiao knows his charges must continue exerting much more than the needed effort in order to even up the series, something which they failed to do in their similar 4-1 losses to TNT in their two previous semis meetings this season.
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"After playing TNT three times in the semis, we know what it takes. They're very competitive, they're very disciplined, and then 'yun nga, double-barreled shotgun, Pogoy and Oftana. Their sheer talent, they can take over a game. So ang bigat pa rin," noted Guiao.
"Subukan naming i-break 'yung trend na iyon. Wednesday is the big game. We feel that if we can break through. Kasi pag series namin 4-1 ng 4-1. So at least napantay na namin iyung level nu'ng dalawang playoffs namin sa kanila," added Guiao.
"Pag nanalo kami sa Wednesday ibig sabihin nag-improve na kami. So tingnan natin kung makakarating ito doon." (NC)
