Mga laro ngayon:
Ynares Center-Antipolo
3 p.m. – San Miguel vs Ginebra
5:45 p.m. – TNT vs Meralco
SIMULA na ang bakbakan sa PBA Governors’ Cup best-of-five semifinal series ngayong Biyernes sa Ynares Center sa Antipolo.
Maghaharap ang sister teams San Miguel Beer at defending champion Barangay Ginebra sa unang laro sa alas-3 ng hapon habang magsasalpukan ang Talk ‘N Text at Meralco sa alas-5:45 ng hapon.
Inaasahan ni SMB coach Jorge Gallent na magiging malubak ang kanilang daan patungo sa finals.
“Nothing comes easy now. It’s the playoffs… I’m expecting we’re gonna have a hard time in the semifinals,” sabi ni Gallent.
Lalo na ngayon na ang Beermen ay mapapalaban sa crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra na maraming ilalabas sa kanilang Final Four duel
Determinado ang Gin Kings na mamayani sa semis at mula rito ay makopo ang kanilang ika-4 na sunod na korona sa torneo na kanilang iaalay kay skipper LA Tenorio, na kasalukuyang nakikipaglaban colon cancer.
Tinalo ng Ginebra ang SMB, 3-2, nang huli silang magtagpo sa semis sa 2016 Governors’ Cup at ang parehong resulta ay inaasahan sa pagkakataong ito sa pagkawala ni injured prized center June Mar Fajardo sa lineup ng Beermen.
Ayaw naman ni coach Tim Cone na magkampante, at binanggit ang ilang pagkakatulad ng kanyang Gin Kings at ng kanilang kalaban.
“We are playing well but San Miguel is playing probably the best in the league right now,” sabi ni Cone matapos ang 127-93 panalo sa import-less NLEX sa kanilang quarterfinals pairing noong nakaraang Linggo.
“They are really playing well. They are like us. They are sharing the ball, they play defense a little differently from us. It is super effective, I think they lead the league in defense, I believe. But it’s going to be a really, really tough series even if June Mar is not there,” dagdag ni Cone.
“They’ve proven over the past three games without June Mar that they can play at a high level without him,” Cone also said. “In fact, they play a little quicker, more of an up-and-down. Their import has an opportunity to dominate a little bit more inside. They’ve been able to overcome June Mar’s absence with flying colors.”
Nagawang maitakas ng SMB ang tatlong sunod na panalo sa kabila ng pagkawala ni Fajardo, isang streak na tinampukan ng 121-105 pagdispatsa sa Converge noong Linggo at sa likod ng impresibong performances ng Beermen sa pangunguna nina import Cameron Clark at CJ Perez.
“They have a lot of weapons out there,” ani Cone. “You just have to figure out how to contain someone, especially the import and CJ. They’ve all contributed, and they are moving the ball much better than they have in the past. That’s been the key to their success.”
Gayunman ay may sarili niyang sandata si Cone, sa pangunguna nina Christian Standhardinger, Justin Brownlee at Jamie Malonzo, bukod sa defensive schemes na dapat pagsama-samahing lahat upang gawing tunay na mahirap ang buhay para sa Beermen.
CLYDE MARIANO
