MANILA, Philippines - On the brink of elimination, Rain or Shine remains confident of its chances to steal Game Six and force a do-or-die match with Alaska Milk in their PBA Philippine Cup Final Four showdown.
The Elasto Painters hope to pick up the pieces of their shattering loss Saturday and stay alive as they resume their semis battle with the Aces at 5 p.m. on Jan. 4 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
“It’s still a close series, and I’m confident that we can bring it to a Game Seven,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.
“We will make adjustments for Game Six. I know that we are capable and we can find a way to win the series. I have still confidence that we can pull this through. But we must win Game Six first,” Guiao also said.
The Elasto Painters blew big spreads in dropping Games One and Five. In Game Two, it was almost the same except that the E-Painters were able to fend off the Aces’ second-half fightback.
But their ability to build commanding leads makes Guiao optimistic they can beat Alaska.
“I don’t think we can establish those leads if we’re not capable of winning the game,” said Guiao.
“But it’s the same mental trap that we fell into in Game Six. We relaxed too early,” Guiao pointed out.
“It was a question of sustaining the energy. We got outrebounded and we couldn’t sustain the pace,” he added.
Guiao also noted losing advantage in terms of fastbreak points in Game Five. The E-Painters won that department in each of the series’ first four games.
Still, observers thought the Aces were able to impose their game, enabling them to come back from a 19-point deficit and snatch Game Five, 93-88.
“Rain or Shine’s physicality didn’t work, and Alaska won with its trapping defense,” said San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria.
“Alaska really makes it hard for Rain or Shine to run its running game with its trapping. After they make a basket, they harass the inbounder and trap the first receiver,” Austria added.
Meanwhile, Globalport and Barako Bull have agreed on a trade deal, swapping guards Sol Mercado and Denok Miranda.
Pending the approval of PBA commissioner Chito Salud, Mercado is moving from San Miguel Beer to Barako Bull after a brief layover at Globalport. Mercado has played just a game with Globalport after his transfer from SMB.
Miranda, meanwhile, is joining his fifth team after bouncing around Coca-Cola, Sta. Lucia Realty, San Miguel Beer and Barako Bull.