MANILA, Philippines – Malaking bagay na maipanalo ang unang laro sa serye.
Ito ay nagbigay sa San Miguel Beer at Rain Or Shine ng mataas na morale sa kani-kanilang mga kalaban na muli nilang haharapin ngayon.
Magandang mataas ang morale ng Beermen at Elasto Painters dahil siguradong babawi ang kani-lang mga kalabang Burger King at Barangay Ginebra ayon sa pagkakasunod sa Game Two ng Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference Final Four sa Cuneta Astrodome ngayon.
Matapos matengga ng ilang araw, di kinakitaan ng pangangalawang ang Beermen nang kanilang igupo ang BK Whoppers, 102-87, habang naisahan naman ng Elasto Painters ang Gin Kings, 101-95, noong Miyerkules.
“The key for us in Game Two is to be ready on Burger King’s fightback. Knowing coach Yeng (Guiao) with his experience, he’s gonna get his team ready for the next game,” pahayag ni San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen.
Ayaw ding maging kumpiyansa ni Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia.”You don’t win the series in the first game. Maybe they (the Kings) were rusty in Game One. We have to rely on hardwork and on helping each other if we’re to repeat in Game Two,” aniya.
Walang dudang may gagawing adjustments ang Ginebra at Burger King para makabawi sa kani-kanilang kabiguan.
“In a series as long as this, the key is making adjustments. Judging from what I’ve seen, I know what adjustments have to be done,” ani Guiao na nag-sabing underdog sila sa seryeng ito laban sa Beermen.
“There’s actually no pressure on us whether we lose by a big margin. We just have to make the series and the games close. The pressure will tell on them. If they survive the pressure, so be it,” dagdag niya.
Problema naman ni Garcia ang alanganing sina Sol Mercado at Ryan Araña na parehong na-injured uli ngunit umaasa siyang magtutulungan ang iba pa niyang players.
“We lost again Sol Mercado and Ryan Araña to injury but we hung in there, relying on hard work specially on defense in the second half,” aniya.
“Minus the two, we still believe we can win the series if the guys help each other out in the game.” (Mae Balbuena)