Now or never for Pop Cola, SLR

And it boils down to a question of who’s got the bigger heart.

Pop Cola and Sta. Lucia Realty put everything at stake tonight as they mix it up in a do-or-die match to decide which team advances to the PBA Governors Cup Finals versus two-time defending champion San Miguel Beer.

Gametime is 6 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum with coaches Chot Reyes and Norman Black agreeing it will no longer be the talent but sheer determination that will spell difference in the game.

For Pop Cola, a drastic problem may require drastic measure with Reyes expected to reactivate ace pointguard Johnny Abarrientos in the crucial match. Actually, Abarrientos, who had skipped their last five games due to a bruised knee, finally suited up Friday but Reyes opted to keep him on the bench.

Sta. Lucia played attuned to the time that day. With the country celebrating the national heroes day, the Realtors came out fighting gallantly, hacking out an emphatic 97-80 victory to force the rubbermatch versus the Panthers.

Black later said his players realized they needed to outwork the hard-working Panthers to win their duel.

The Realtors did that in Game Four and Black hopes his players do it again tonight, believing that’s the way to beat the Panthers.

Sta. Lucia put up a shackling defense and practically shot at will in the second half Friday, abruptly turning a tight first-half game into a lopsided match. The efficient Sta. Lucia defense held Rossell Ellis to only 10 points in the final half after exploding for 24 in the first 24 minutes of play. Rudy Hatfield, averaging 12 points in the first three games, on the other hand, was limited to only seven.

On offense, Damian Owens scored only 21 but seven of his teammates made significant contributions, including Paolo Mendoza and Chris Tan with 17 and 16 points, respectively.

Reyes said they can’t afford to allow the Realtors to score in the 90s if they are to survive the knockout match and get a shot at a coveted crown for the first time since a near grandslam feat in 1995.

The Panthers outhustled and outdefended the Realtors in winning two of the first three games of the series.

But that’s something they just couldn’t do Friday as the Realtors unloaded all the artillery at their disposal en route to the big win that kept the team in the hunt for a second finals appearance in the last five conferences.

The Realtors are looking to set up a rematch of their Commissioner’s Cup title showdown with the Beermen last year. San Miguel gained the first berth in the best-of-seven title playoff via a three-game sweep of Shell.