Welcoat covers foe with solid defense

Before the finals, teams dread Welcoat Paints for its brand of high-octane offense. But it has become more dangerous now by playing solid defense.

Seizing the momentum following an emphatic, series-tying Game 2 victory, the Paint Masters hope to throw defensive blanket anew on the Viva-FEU Water Force when the two go at it again today in Game 3 of the best-of-five PBL Unity Cup Finals at the Pasig Sports Center.

"I keep saying before the series, defense would play a big factor in this series," said Welcoat coach Carlos Garcia minutes after pulverizing Viva-FEU, 52-35, last Tuesday that reduced the series to a best-of-three.

Making up for a 54-59 overtime loss in Game 1, Welcoat was unforgiving in defense especially in the shaded area as it held Viva-FEU to a PBL all-time finals low of 35 points–six in the first quarter, 11 in the second and nine apiece in the last two.

Credit it to Welcoat’s big men–Marvin Ortiguerra, JR Reyes, Ariel Capus, Jay-R Estrada and Dominic Uy.

The Paint Masters forced the Water Force to miss 47 of the 59 shots the latter took. They also lorded it over the boards with 62–half of which coming from Capus and Reyes–as against Viva’s 44.