San Mig Coffee looks to bounce back in Game 3

MANILA, Philippines – The San Mig Coffee Mixers aren’t new to the situation they currently find themselves in.

In the best-of-five series for the 2014 PBA PLDT Home TVolution Commissioner’s Cup championship, the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters and Mixers are currently tied at 1-1, with the series now a best-of-three for all the marbles.

Game 3 is tomorrow night, May 13, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. And as TNT head coach Norman Black said, this contest won’t be decided by talent alone, considering the amount of talented players both teams have. This matchup will be resolved by a variety of things: which key players can stay out of foul trouble, which team wins more of the 50-50 balls, which of the two coaches – who have a combined 27 PBA championships already – can exploit the best matchups, and many more.

But in Game 2, which the Tropang Texters prevailed in, 86-76, it felt like one player was enough to influence the outcome of the game.

Jayson Castro had 30 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals. He also hit five three-pointers when he wasn’t attacking – and abusing – the defense of Marc Pingris, whom many regard as the best defensive player in the PBA today. 

They don’t call him the best point guard in Asia for no reason. And on Sunday night, SMC felt his wrath.

However, Tuesday’s joust provides the reigning PBA champs an opportunity to gain the upper hand once against versus TNT. But to accomplish that, stopping Castro, first and foremost, will be their top priority. 

“Sabi ko nga eh, isang tao lang tumalo saamin ngayon eh – si Jason,” said San Mig Coffee cager Mark Barroca after his club’s Game 2 defeat.

(I said it, only one person beat us today: Jayson)

He added: “Nung first half, nakakuha siya nang confidence kaagad. Naka 10 ata siya sa first quarter. So parang yung level nung confidence niya, yung spirit niya, buhay na buhay na eh.”

(In the first half, he was able to get confidence right away. He got 10 points in the first quarter. So, his confidence, his spirit, it came alive)

In Game 1, which Barroca and company won easily, 95-80, the Mixers had 21 assists to Talk ‘N Text’s 15. However, the script was flipped in the following game, as the Tropang Texters distributed the ball beautifully with 17 assists, while San Mig Coffee’s offense stagnated with only 13.

“They certainly turned the table on us tonight. They were us and we were them in Game 1,” stated Coach Tim Cone after Game 2. “It’s not something we didn’t expect. We expected this series to be really tough.”

Furthermore, Norman Black’s boys, who only had four fastbreak points in Game 1, upped that figure to 14 in the second match. That’s a 10-point discrepancy – the same amount in difference between the final scores of each team in Game 2.

“Dapat ma maintain namin yung ginawa namin nung first game sakanila. So, siguro, next game,” hoped Barroca, as he explained how it is defense that will give San Mig Coffee a third straight title.

(We should maintain what we did in the first game against them. So, hopefully, in the next game)

“Nung down kami nung 16, 17, di kami nag pabaya. So, parang, binuhay namin sa depensa. Ganon talaga, mabubuhay kami sa depensa.”

(When we were down by 16, 17, we didn’t give up. So, we came alive through our defense. It’s like that: our defense wakes us up)

In Game 2, San Mig Coffee were outscored by their counterparts 28-16 in the third quarter, giving the Texters a 16-point cushion entering the game’s final 12 minutes. But later on, TNT managed to put up only 21 markers in the fourth quarter, with four of those by virtue of the Mixers’ late game fouling with the game out of hand.

Barroca is right. Despite his team’s impeccable offense thanks to Coach Cone’s Triangle system, the Mixers go as their defense goes. It’s also why they managed to erect a comeback in the fourth period last night, despite having James Yap, PJ Simon, and Marc Pingris spend most of the second half on the bench.

Yap, a two-time PBA MVP, had only six markers yesterday in 18 minutes of action. Simon, meanwhile, scored just four in 25 minutes. Pingris had 11 and played 26 minutes, but was out of the game for majority of his club’s last hurrah.

“James and PJ were playing tired tonight. And if we had made an earlier run in the game in the fourth quarter, I would’ve put them back in,” explained Cone following his team’s loss.

Nevertheless, Simon, a key cog in his mentor’s game plan, understood the situation of the moment and has no hard feelings towards the 16-time champion coach.

“Kilala naman si Coach eh,” he said after the game. “Alam naman yung ginagawa niya kaya wala naman problema.”

(We know coach. We know what he’s doing that’s why we have no problem with it)

Furthermore, Simon attested to his coach’s saying that he isn’t in full health as this series progresses to a third game.

“Kasi, ganon naman talaga yung series eh. Mahaba talaga yung series. Tapos, galing pa kami ng quarterfinals at semis,” explained the scoring guard, when asked of his current condition.

(The series is really like that. It’s really long. Plus, we also came from the quarterfinals and semis)

Still, Simon expects to see more time in Game 3, answering “Oo naman” (Of course) when inquired on whether or not he expects to play more minutes tomorrow night.

“Nakikita niya (Coach Cone) naman sa body language kung kaya pa,” added Simon. “Tiwala nalang.” 

(He can see from our body language if we can still play. We trust him)

“I’m thinking about keeping these guys fresh,” further justified Coach Tim. “In a series, you have to have big-picture thinking.”

Nevertheless, a lot of SMC supporters are expecting Simon and his co-starters to step up in Game 3, with the series hanging in the balance. Moreover, Barroca – who despite going just 1-of-9 yesterday also played a huge part in his team’s comeback – is expecting the same:

“At least, naka rest sila, so relax ngayon. So, Game 3, sila naman yung magdala saamin sa Game 3.”

(They were able to get rest, so now they will relax. So, in Game 3, it’s their turn to carry us)

– Rappler.com