For SLR, the time is now

Sta. Lucia Realty tries to end its long, gruelling search for a first-ever PBA crown tonight when it meets embattled defending champion San Miguel Beer in Game 6 of their Governors’ Cup title showdown at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Realtors took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven affair with an 85-71 victory the other night at the Big Dome as they moved one win short of winning their first crown since joining the league in 1993. The game is set at 6 p.m. with momentum on Sta. Lucia’s side.

"We have no other choice but to go for it," said Sta. Lucia coach Norman Black, the same man who led San Miguel to the 1989 grand slam. "We’re up, 3-2, now and we’re not gonna get a chance better than this. San Miguel will play big but our focus is to win the championship."

Sta. Lucia’s three victories in the series were all scored at the Araneta Coliseum with San Miguel’s being fashioned out at the Philsports Arena. "That’s why we have to do it on Sunday because (Damian) Owens doesn’t play well at Philsports. But that’s all psychological," Black said.

The Beermen, in their third straight Governors’ Cup final, are expected to pin all their hopes on the explosive trio of Lamont Strothers, Danny Seigle and Danny Ildefonso in their bid to level the series and force a seventh game.

However, Black, head coach of San Miguel from 1986 until 1996, is confident that his charges have what it takes to wrap up the series tonight. "I will have to talk to them... not on the physical aspect but on the mental aspect," he said.

Sta. Lucia joined the league in 1993 and almost made it to the All-Filipino final, losing to San Miguel in their best-of-five semis matchup, 1-3. The Realtors and the Beermen also met in the final of the Governors’ Cup last year with the latter winning, 4-1.

Meanwhile, national team head coach Ron Jacobs said the other day that he prefers having 20 PBA players included in the two training teams that will see action in the 2002 First Conference before the final selection of the lineup that will represent the country in the Asian Games.

The 20 PBA players will be joined by at least eight others from the MBA and the amateur leagues. He said getting two players from each of the 10 PBA teams would level the field in the import-laden 2002 First Conference.

"The PBA board wants 18 but that would leave some teams with two imports and others with just one. Getting two players from each team would solve the problem," said Jacobs, who will try to bring up the issue when the PBA board meets on Tuesday.

Jacobs also announced that San Miguel management had already allowed Jong Uichico to be part of the national team as one of Jacobs’ assistants.

"Jong is the natural choice. But there will be some volunteers... some of them to go in and out of the country scouting. The group that I want to put together is big. And there won’t be just one assistant from the amateurs. There will be more than that," said Jacobs.