RAIN or Shine eyes a commanding 3-0 lead against Alaska in Game Three of their best-of-seven championship series for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Elasto Painters try to move closer to their second crown in the 7 p.m. encounter against the Aces, who are badly missing key players in the series.
Rain or Shine grabbed a 2-0 lead in after pulling off a 105-103 escape in Game Two behind Paul Lee’s game-winning jumper.
But Elasto Painters Head Coach Yeng Guiao expects Game Three to be tougher despite Alaska playing undermanned.
“It’s getting harder to win as the series progresses,” said Guiao, who is looking to end the four-year title drought of the franchise and get nearer to his seventh career crown.
“We know they are a good team. We know they can come back. We have a two-game cushion but it’s not safe against Alaska,” Guiao added.
Lee has been giving his team the needed lift in the series with clutch performances in the first two games after sitting most of the elimination phase due to an injury.
Sophomore Jericho Cruz, Beau Belga, Jewel Ponferada and Jeff Chan are also providing the needed support and import Pierre Henderson-Niles and Guiao hopes they could continue with that kind of effort.
Alaska Head Coach Alex Compton, however, remains confident his wards would come back in the series but they need to win Game Three or fall to a 0-3 hole.
With veteran center Eric Menk, Vic Manuel and Jvee Casio sitting it out due to injuries, the Aces need to find ways to plug the hole, especially with Calvin Abueva struggling in the finals.
“We have good players on our team. We talk, we practice, we’re just not sharp enough,” said Compton, as he encourages the locals to give reinforcement Rob Dozier the needed support.
“Obviously, they are important but I don’t want to dwell on it. It’s not an excuse. When we do some things right, we can win that game and we didn’t do it,” he added.
Abueva, the leading candidate for the Best Player of the Conference award, has yet to uncork his real game, while Cyrus Baguio, Sonny Thoss and Chris Banchero are also struggling with their offensive games.
Dozier, who exploded with a career-high 41 points in their 97-105 loss in Game One, was held to just 18 points in Game Two.
Image credits: Roy Domingo