Another banner crowd at Big Dome

There’s nothing like a do-or-die game to bring in the fans as the expectation is another huge crowd will jam the Smart Araneta Coliseum for the you-or-me showdown between Talk ‘N’ Text and Ginebra San Miguel tonight.

So far, the attendance record for the season was registered in the semifinals doubleheader at the Big Dome last Wednesday. A throng of 23,108 broke the all-time attendance record in the PBA with Alaska facing San Mig Coffee in the curtain raiser and the Texters battling Ginebra in the main event. In Game 4 of the Texters-Ginebra tie last Friday, the attendance was 14,441. Tonight, the crowd could top the 20,000 mark as it will be the farewell game of the conference for either the Tropa or the Barangay.

It’s been an incredible roller-coaster ride for both teams. Talk ‘N’ Text finished the eliminations as the No. 6 seed and Ginebra, the No. 7 seed, defying the odds in surviving the quarterfinals. The Texters disposed of No. 3 Petron two games in a row while Ginebra shocked No. 2 Rain Or Shine in similar fashion. The difference was Ginebra bucked a twice-to-beat disadvantage and the Tropa played in a best-of-three affair.

The Texters opened the conference with 6-11 Keith Benson then, after a 2-3 start, brought in 6-8 Donnell Harvey who led the squad to a 4-3 mark. Seven-foot Jerome Jordan took over from Harvey and the Texters registered a 4-2 slate but coach Norman Black felt he needed a more athletic, more aggressive and more explosive presence on the court. So in came 6-5 Tony Mitchell for Game 3 of the Ginebra series.

“It was a gamble signing up Tony because he’s an undersized import,” said Talk ‘N’ Text’ alternate PBA governor Patrick Gregorio. “But if we can’t stop (Vernon) Macklin, can they stop Mitchell?  We’ve got a maximum of six games to play, assuming we advance to the finals and the finals goes the distance. We don’t have the luxury of time. Tony will play for us in the third conference. We decided to bring him in early so he can familiarize himself with our system. It’s not true that we’ve given up on this conference. Giving up is not in our corporate culture with MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan). We’ll always push ourselves to the limit, given the resources we’ve got. It’s not in our radar to surrender. Whether it’s in business or sports, MVP demands that we perform like a champion.”

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Gregorio said after the series was tied at a win apiece, he spoke with Tropa gunner Larry Fonacier during the All-Star break in Digos. At that time, Fonacier was in a serious slump – he’d scored in twin digits only once in his last nine games.

“I told him he’s long overdue,” recounted Gregorio. “I knew he would break out sooner or later. Sure enough, in the Gilas game against the PBA Selection, Larry scored 18 points and that brought back his confidence. I wasn’t surprised that in Game 3 of the Ginebra series, Larry came back to score 20 and that made the difference. He was the best player of that game.”

The pattern of the series is as clear as day. It’s basically Ginebra’s offense against Talk ‘N’ Text’s defense. In the two Ginebra wins, the Barangay averaged 104 points but in the two losses, their output dropped to 79.5. If the Texters tighten up defensively and limit Ginebra to 80 or even 90, the probability is the Tropa will win. But if the Texters aren’t able to hold down Ginebra, they’re in for a fall.

In Game 1, Ginebra unloaded 10-of-24 triples, shot .525 from the field and dished out 21 assists to win, 104-81. In Game 2, Ginebra was held to only nine assists and the result was a lowly .408 field goal shooting as the Texters prevailed, 85-79. The downgrade in Macklin’s offense was evident – from 25 points in Game 1 to 15 in Game 2. It was more of the same in Game 3 with Ginebra limited to just 10 assists and hitting an atrocious .310 from the field. The Tropa won, 98-80, as Macklin was held to 17 points. In Game 4, Ginebra was back on track offensively, outscoring the Tropa in fastbreak points, 14-5, issuing 23 assists and shooting .458 from the field. Macklin was in his deadliest form with a conference-high 37 points.

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Sharing the wealth is key to Ginebra’s success. In Games 1 and 4, the Barangay averaged 22 assists and shot .491 from the field. In Games 2 and 3, Ginebra averaged 9.5 assists and shot .359 from the field. If Ginebra is making the extra pass and finding the open man to score, the team’s field goal percentage is close to 50. If Ginebra doesn’t play team ball, it’s easier for the Tropa to keep the score low.

Somehow, rebounding isn’t such a critical factor in the series as Talk ‘N’ Text has won the battle of the boards in every encounter – 50-46 in Game 1, 46-40 in Game 2, 65-46 in Game 3 and 46-42 in Game 4. If the Texters don’t play tough defense, their board control is meaningless. In fact, in Game 4, Talk ‘N’ Text scored 20 second chance points and Ginebra zero to prove their superiority in the offensive glass yet the Barangay escaped with a win.

For Ginebra to win tonight, Macklin must be dominant and L. A. Tenorio masterful in setting the table. The Barangay must run at every opportunity to wear down the Tropa’s depleted lineup, meaning score in transition off turnovers if Ginebra isn’t able to control the boards. Rudy Hatfield’s defense on Mitchell is crucial. Another factor is Kerby Raymundo neutralizing Ranidel de Ocampo like he did in Game 4 as both players scored 12 points each.

For Talk ‘N’ Text to win, the Texters must take away Tenorio’s ability to orchestrate. Defense must be unforgiving particularly in the backcourt so Ginebra won’t be able to put the ball in Macklin’s hands until only a few seconds are left on the shot clock. When Macklin is in a position to score, the Texters shouldn’t hesitate to give up the foul instead of risking an easy dunk or layup. Closing out on Ginebra’s shooters is another priority. On offense, Mitchell shouldn’t be a one-man show. He’s got to trust his teammates and look to pass when under pressure. In Game 4, Mitchell missed five attempts down the stretch because he was predictable on offense – Ginebra knew he wouldn’t pass.

It isn’t just a slot in the finals that the teams are fighting for tonight. It’s also pride. The chance to play for the championship is just a win away for both teams. It’s time to find out which team has the guts to overcome the pressure of a win-or-go-home situation before another mammoth crowd at the Big Dome.