The consensus among PBA watchers is that it’s too close to call, with the imports of the two teams playing vital roles in the game that will decide which squad will join San Miguel Beer in the foreign-flavored quarterfinals of the PBA transition tourney.
That was the case in their previous two duels with Coca-Cola winning the first on Mark Sanford’s splendid performance and Alaska returning the favor in the second game on Galen Young’s big outing.
With Sanford nursing bruised knees, Coca-Cola coach Chot Reyes could only hope the former University of Washington star would step up big to bail theTigers out in the end.
With a welcome three-day rest, Sanford dished out a solid all-around game versus Shell Sunday, powering the Tigers to a 116-87 rout of the Turbochargers that gave them a playoff crack versus the Aces.
Despite hobbling with a hurting right knee midway through the second period then getting a mouthful from Reyes on one bad decision in the closing seconds of the first half, Sanford returned with all guns blazing in the last two quarters and finished with a game-high 39 points.
"It’s mind over matter," said the former Miami Heat second round draft pick on what’s keeping him in the tourney.
"Yan talaga ang maganda kay Sanford, kahit may nararamdaman at kahit pagalitan ko, laban lang ng laban," said Reyes of his import.
But the Aces couldn’t say less of their own import.
Young, though reporting a bit late in the Coke-Alaska rematch after getting caught in traffic on the way to the Ynares Center in a stormy Saturday on May 22, whipped up his own storm on the playing court to lead the Aces to a 96-76 win. He made 27 points, including eight in the fourth quarter, as against Sanford’s 20.
In their first meeting on March 3, the Tigers triumphed, 86-83, with Sanford erupting for 40 as against Young’s 19.
In their third meeting in the conference at 7:10 p.m. tonight, the local players are expected to cancel each other out again with Sanford and Young likely to decide the outcome.
The loser will be relegated to third place, settling for a twice-to-beat advantage versus Purefoods in the wildcard phase of the tourney.
If Coca-Cola loses, the Tigers may find themselves battling former back-up import Tate Decker. The former University of Missouri player has been practicing with the Hotdogs the last few days.