In Red Bulls 13 wins this conference, the Thunder held its opponents to an average of 71 points. But in its seven losses, the average rose to 89.4. The almost 20-point differential was crucial. Coach Yeng Guiao knew that to win Game 7, Red Bull had to play the toughest defense it could. He knew that in Talk N Texts three defeats in the Finals, Jerald Honeycutt was held to a lowly 18.7 clip and in the Phone Pals three victories, the former Tulane University star erupted for an average of 27 points. So if Honeycutt is Talk N Texts yardstick of success, Guiao knew he had to be stopped last Friday.
In contrast, Talk N Texts 13 wins were fueled by high-octane offensethe kind that coach Bill Bayno turned into an art form at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV). The Pals averaged 87.8 points in those wins and only 78.4 in their nine setbacks.
It was like night and day. For Red Bull to win, its defense had to hold up. For Talk N Text to win, its offense had to be in high gear.
Guiao, 43, laid out a plan to take the starch out of Talk N Texts offense in Game 7. He realized Tony Langs replacement Sean Lampley isnt as prolific a scorer as the ex-Duke University standout. Lampley has difficulty creating his shot, unlike the Pals Pete Mickael. If Talk N Text plays single coverage, Lampleys opportunities to score are severely limited. His chances to score come mainly from open spot-up outside jumpers or putbacks. So Guiao told Lampley to concentrate on two thingsrebounding and defense. At least, he could make use of his size. His points would be a bonus.
In the fourth period last Friday, Guiao put Lampley on Mickael. Junthy Valenzuela, Edmund Reyes, and Lordy Tugade had previously taken turns shadowing Mickael. Lampley provided a different defensive look for Mickael. The switch was a stroke of genius. It allowed Guiao to keep his boys from doubling Mickael since Lampley was a match for the former University of Cincinnati Bearcat, size-wise. Doubling Mickael or Honeycutt wouldve opened opportunities for Baynos three-point shooterssomething that Guiao was determined to deny.
DaVonn Harp on Honeycutt was another key defensive adjustment. Since Honeycutt often starts his move on offense facing the basket, Guiao had Harp bodying him up from the wings. If Honeycutt managed to put a step on Harp, Julius Nwosu waited in the lane as the second line of defense. The trick worked like a charm. Honeycutt shot only 6-of-16 from the field and finished with a Finals-low of 12 points last Friday.
The low scores in Game 7 stood out as proof that Guiao had the upper hand in dictating the terms of engagement. Talk N Text was held to only nine points in the first period and 27 at the half. The final count was a testimony to Guiaos handiwork67-60. In the conference, Talk N Text never won a game scoring less than 77. In fact, the Pals scored at least 80 points in 12 of its 13 wins. There was no way Talk N Text could beat Red Bull by hitting in the 60s. Guiao knew it and he made it happen.
Throughout the Finals, Bayno repeatedly boasted his boys were the best-conditioned in the league. Looking at the hulking Honeycutt, you wonder if Bayno was just talking the talk. Somehow, he psyched his playersparticularly, the Pals quick-stepping guardsto believe it. And it probably raised doubts on Red Bulls players as to their capability to keep pace with Felix (The Cat) Belano, Ibet Demape and Kenny (Special K) Evans.
In Talk N Texts three Finals wins, Baynos guardsespecially Evansplayed beautiful music. Evans averaged 11.3 points in the wins but only 2.5 in the four losses. It didnt take a genius to figure out that the key to Baynos uptempo attack was the pace that his guards set. They put pressure on Red Bulls ballcarriers and created turnovers. They were the trigger points, the energy bunnies.
Guiao knew that to neutralize Baynos guards, Jimwell Torion and Willie Miller had to upstage them. Tora-Tora and "Killer" Miller had to step up. If Evans was cocky, Miller had to be cockier. If Demape was gutsy, Torion had to be gutsier. Guiaos guards just had to match their Pals counterparts intensity, fire, and energy.
Guiao knew he couldnt win Game 7 by trying to outscore Talk N Text. Not with Lampley. So his gameplan was anchored on defenselimit the Pals outside shooting opportunities by sticking to a single coverage, shackle Honeycutt at all costs, establish Nwosus intimidating presence in the lane, rotate fresh defenders on Mickael (reserving Lampley for the final quarter), sprint back on defense to prevent transition baskets, switch from zone to man and back to keep Talk N Text guessing, and cut off the baseline to prevent Mark Telan from sneaking in for backdoor layups.
In a Game 7, execution is critical. And thats where experience comes inthe ability to withstand the pressure of the moment. Last Friday, Red Bull looked Talk N Text in the eye and didnt blink.
Guiao shuffled the cards and Bayno was reduced to playing catchup. That made the difference in the end.