Two-day break favors Coke

Likewise grateful is San Miguel acting coach Siot Tanquingcen as his Beermen get to rest their aching bodies and thus have a chance to return into action with fresher legs versus the pumped-up Alaska Aces.

The Tigers and the Beermen think everything’s in their favor with the Samsung PBA Governors Cup Final Four taking a two-day breather before resuming action with Game Three tomorrow at the Araneta Coliseum.

Purefoods will be going for the kill against Coca-Cola while Alaska seeks the go-ahead victory after pulling even with San Miguel Thursday.

"With the talent we have, pumabor sa amin ang break dahil mananalo lang kami sa pukpukan ng husto. And with that kind of game, you need a lot of rest in between games," said Reyes as he pointed out that they can’t play straight match-up game with the Hotdogs.

"Height-wise and bench depth lamang na sila. Eh, sa kanila pa rin ang maturity and poise, kaya ang hirap kalaban," added Reyes.

The veteran Coca-Cola mentor believed their only chance of getting out of the 0-2 hole in the series is to recharge and regain the defensive energy which had been their main weapon during the eliminations.

"During the eliminations, we were winning on sheer hardwork. But it was easy to do then because we were playing one game a week. Eto playoff na, dikit-dikit ang laro, di naman ganoon kalalim ang rotation namin," said Reyes.

Reyes considers Purefoods as the team with the deepest and meanest rotation among the four semifinalists, saying the Hotdogs have the size, the energy and killer-machine in Derrick Brown.

"Of course, magaling din ang imports ko, kaya lang kailangan na nilang umopensa kailangan pa rin nilang dumopensa," said Reyes, who wished he could utilize Jeffrey Cariaso, Rudy Hatfield and Poch Juinio. "Mabuti nga nandiyan na si Johnny (Abarrientos). Kung wala, di masyado kaming hirap.

Coca-Cola activated Abarrientos Thursday but Purefoods stepped up its game further to pull off an 84-75 win and take a 2-0 lead in their duel. The Hotdogs took the opener at 89-86.

PBA watchers see the Tigers-Hotdogs playoff as the virtual title showdown in the tournament. The winner in this matchup is tipped to beat the victor in the Alaska-San Miguel tussle.

Both the Aces and the Beermen have been struggling with neither team hitting the 50-percent shooting mark in the first two games of their playoff.

The Aces emerged as slightly better in a duel of fumbling teams Thursday as they scored a 67-63 overtime win to tie the series at 1-1.

Alaska coach Tim Cone thought the Beermen were already beat up and would enjoy the two-day break. But despite the rest, the Alaska mentor believed his team will have the fresher legs as the series resumes tomorrow.