Open debacle haunts Welcoat

For Welcoat coach Caloy Garcia, winning Game 2 of their best-of-five showdown with Montaña for the PBL Unity Cup will not only put them in the threshold of another title victory but will also slay the ghost of their Open Championship debacle early this year.

"Game 2 is very important for us so we have to play with lots of intensity to beat them," said Garcia, whose wards took the series opener, 82-80, in a thrilling endgame duel last Thursday. "Kailangan mas aggressive kami sa kanila."

They should to at least erase the stigma of their failed bid in the Open Championship last February.

In that finals series, the Paint Masters also won Game 1 but lost the next two games with the Jewels eventually winning the series, 3-2, for their first-ever crown since joining the league in 1998.

Game time is set at 3:30 p.m. after the Achievement Awards where outstanding players will be feted.

Five players — Magnolia’s Arwind Santos, Granny Goose’ RJ Quiñahan, Harbour Centre’s Mark Cardona, Welcoat’s Anthony Washington and Montaña’s Jondan Salvador are hotly contesting the MVP award.

For sure, Montaña coach Robert Sison and his Jewels won’t take the Game 1 loss sitting down.

Just like the first time they clashed in the finals, Sison is expected to come up with key adjustments since losing today’s game would mean that they have to beat the Paint Masters three games in a row to clinch their second straight title.

Expect Garcia to do the same as he tries to limit the production of the sweet-shooting Alex Compton and forward Jondan Salvador.

"I will also do some adjustments," said Garcia who is tasked to end the team’s string of frustrations since the 2003 Platinum Cup.

Compton waged a magnificent one-man show late in the game in Game 1 but he ran out of ammunition, missing a potentialy game-tying basket in the dying seconds. He finished with 25 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter.

Washington struggled for 14 points and was even outshone by Salvador but Garcia expects his 6-foot-6 center to bounce back.

"I’m sure he’s going to bounce back, he rebounded well but his offense and defense was not that good," said Garcia, who also credited Leo Najorda, JR Reyes, Jay Coching, Erwin Sta. Maria for their splendid efforts.

While Compton and Salvador did well offensively, Montaña’s other top guns, among them Erick dela Cuesta, Ariel Capus, Froilan Baguion, Reed Juntila and Paul Guerrero were unimpressive.