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AFTER
staving off elimination and forcing a sudden-death
playoff, coach Binky Favis believes his Coca-Cola Tigers
still has some ammo left in their arsenal to complete a
sensational comeback.
With
their season on the brink, the Tigers gave their all
Wednesday to overcome the Magnolia Beverage Masters in a
nerve-wracking shootout to pull off a scintillating
91-90 decision in Game Two of their quarterfinal series.
Coke’s
thrilling victory, essayed with the help of rookie
Ronjay Buenafe’s 15-foot jumper with 7.2 seconds
remaining, provided some rays hope to an already
troubled semifinal bid.
“All we
asked for is a new lease on life. With the game now tied
and just one game left to decide it all, I think we have
a good shot,” said Favis.
The
Coca-Cola mentor said he has a strong reason to believe
that they are going to clinch the deciding match.
He said
his troops have displayed their resiliency time and
again. They also seem to generate so much energy and
intensity whenever death is staring at them.
“Not to
take anything away from Magnolia but I like our chances
in Game Three. I am very confident my players will rise
to the occasion. They have this tendency to always play
their best whenever our backs are against the wall,”
Favis said.
On
Wednesday, Favis played his veterans Alex Cabagnot, Asi
Taulava, Mark Macapagal and Nic Belasco on extended
minutes.
He is
expected to dwell on the same pattern, knowing too well
that experience will be vital in Game Three.
The
Coca-Cola-Magnolia showdown is set at 7 p.m. at the
Ynares Center in Antipolo City. The winner will face
“semifinal-in-waiting” Air21 in a best-of-seven series.
The other series will be contested by Red Bull and
Barangay Ginebra.
No
‘immediate’ action
THE
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has no immediate
action on former Sta. Lucia Realty import Lee Benson,
who was sacked before the Realtors’ crucial Fiesta
Conference playoff match against Barangay Ginebra on
Wednesday.
But
according to PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios, if the
Realtors ask his office to investigate the matter, the
league has no recourse but to do so.
“Wala
pa namang definite move against Mr. Benson because
his team has yet to file a formal complaint. But if
there’s such a request, we will definitely study the
case,” Barrios told the BusinessMirror yesterday.
“Kasi,
it’s an employer-employee issue and we don’t meddle in
such things. Papasok lang ang PBA kung ang
Sta. Lucia ay magre-request na pag-aralan ang
posibleng sanction sa kanya,” he added.
Benson
did not play in the crucial Game Two of the Realtors’
playoff series against the Kings. Sta. Lucia management
said the import threatened to play “half-heartedly” if
his salary demands were not met.
Ginebra
overwhelmed the All-Filipino champion Sta. Lucia,
113-85, to sweep their best-of-three quarterfinal
series.
Barrios
said that before Game 2, team manager Buddy Encarnado
brought Benson’s demands to the commissioner’s
attention—in part for Sta. Lucia to escape the possible
P50,000 fine for not playing with an import.
“We were
just a party (asked) to witness the issue and be
involved kung matatawag ngang settlement ang
nangyari. If you are asking kung iba-ban ba siya,
hindi pa tayo dumarating sa position na iyon,”
the PBA boss said.
Barrios
said Benson, who played the game of his life against
Talk ‘N Text in their do-or-die wildcard game, received
the remaining $3,500 of his salary from Sta. Lucia
management.
“Hindi
naman ito case ng import na nag-disappear
na lang. Nagkaroon lang ng attitude problem
ang import and Sta. Lucia documented the case
kaya hindi sila na-fine ng liga,” he said.
Benson,
according to the Realtors’ report to the PBA office, had
broken the team’s curfew rule. He also did not show up
for practice before the team’s crucial game against
Ginebra. |
