In fact, Marlou Aquino had time to joke around.
"Kailangan mahabol namin sila. Ang bibilis nilang tumakbo," said Aquino, referring to the fact that Realtors will be facing the adrenalin-powered Coca-Cola Tigers, the conference’s defending champions.
The Tigers rely on a lot of running it is quite surprising no one has issued any of them speed tickets yet. And the transition-offense-versus-halfcourt-set plot is getting milked a lot with regards to this half of the semifinal wars that start Friday.
But everybody can sense the underlying gravity of the Realtors’ bid.
And it isn’t the fact that Sta. Lucia will be without star gunner Kenneth Duremdes, the team’s leader in points, rebounds and assists who will be out of commission for a crucial stretch in the playoffs because of a strained calf muscle.
It’s because of the mission Sta. Lucia hopes to accomplish.
In a league where Fil-Foreigners are getting the attention and the most exposure in the highlight reel, Sta. Lucia will try to annex its first All-Filipino title with a purely homegrown team.
"Masarap din ang feeling na nakarating kami ng ganito kalayo with a purely homegrown lineup," said coach Alfrancis Chua, who once mentored a Tanduay team populated with Fil-Ams.
Chua will not be in an entirely new situation. In 1999, he coached a largely homegrown All-Star team to victory against a Rookie-Sophomore-Junior squad that was densely populated with players who grew up halfway around the world.
"It’s not something we really want to hype, but I guess it’s there and it has presented itself as a subplot in the semifinals," said commissioner Noli Eala regarding Sta. Lucia’s bid to topple the Fil-Am powered teams on the way to the title.
"Yun ang isang motivation namin, yung fact na wala kaming Fil-Am. Gusto namin patunayan na kaya naming manalo kahit puro homegrown lang ang players," said skipper Dennis Espino.
"Ang daming nagsabi, hindi kami sasali sa Magic Eight dahil wala kaming Fil-Am. Ngayon, nasa Magic Four na kami. Meron pa rin kaming gustong patunayan," said Aquino.
The Realtors will be severely challenged without Duremdes. The 6-2 swingman averaged 41 points per game in the quarterfinals after back-to-back 40-point games and his absence creates a scoring sock.
"Nag-usap na kami about that. Alam namin kailangan mag step-up. Nandiyan na kasi ‘yan. Wala na kaming time mag-isip ng kung ano pa kasi semifinals na, kailangan ng kumayod," said Espino.
And besides, there is that issue about patriotic pride to fight for.