CIGNAL-San Beda has set its sight on the Philippine Basketball Association Developmental League Aspirants Cup championship as the Hawkeyes battle Racal in Game Two of their best-of-three titular series today at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
Game Two is set at 4 p.m. following the short awarding ceremony for this conference’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
This marks the eighth Finals appearance for Cignal coach Boyet Fernandez and another victory by the Hawkeyes would make him the most successful coach in the league with seven titles.
But he knows well that closing out a series is easier said than done.
“Racal is a team capable of coming back,” said Fernandez, as he looked back on Cignal’s slim 93-85 Game One win last Thursday where it squandered a 21-point lead and had to fend off a late rally from the Tile Masters.
Fernadez is worried about his team’s tendency to relax on defense when leading by a wide margin, that is why he kept reminding the Hawkeyes to be consistent on both ends it they intend to get the job done.
“I may sound like a broken record but I kept telling them this series is not yet over until it’s over,” said Fernandez, who is counting on the steady game of Jason Perkins and Robert Bolick, both Conference MVP contenders.
With their back against the wall, Racal coach Jerry Codinera urged his troop to not waste the opportunity of their first trip to the Finals.