Pacesetting SMB targets pivotal Game 4 of Philippine Cup finals

Game on Wednesday
(SM MOA Arena)
7:30 p.m. – Awarding of Best Player of the Conference
7:35 p.m. – San Miguel Beermen* vs TNT (Game 4)
*SMB leads series, 2-1

SAN Miguel Beermen (SMB) are poised to move on the doorstep of the coveted crown jewel. TNT is bent to make it a level playing field.

With so much at stake, the pacesetting Beermen and the pursuing Tropang 5G fight over the all-important Game 4 victory in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup finals on Wednesday at 7:35 p.m. at the SM MOA Arena.

But before SMB carries out its mission of seizing a commanding 3-1 lead and TNT conducts its task of forcing the defending champions to a 2-2 stalemate, the league fetes the top individual performer of the season-opening tournament first.

Slated at 7:30 p.m., the short Best Player of the Conference (BPC) awarding ceremony looms as another shining moment for San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo.

“The Kraken” is on the prowl for a record-extending 13th BPC plum as he emerged on top of the stats race with 44.3 statistical points against Titan’s Calvin Abueva (41.2), Converge duo Juan Gomez de Liaño (37.23) and Justine Baltazar (37.15) and Magnolia’s Zav Lucero (33.8).

After yielding the opener, 91-96, Mr. Fajardo and Co. countered with back-to-back victories, 111-92 and 95-89 to surge ahead of the Tropang 5G.

“It’s a race to four (wins). We haven’t done (clinched) anything,” said SMB playing assistant coach Chris Ross after the titleholders stole the Game 3 tiebreaker behind the seven-point flurry of CJ Perez from the four and three-point lines in the final minute.

“We’re happy after this win but it’s still the same emotions we had in Game 1. We need to bounce back, we take the same approach every game,” he added.

As painful as it was, the Tropang 5G aren’t letting that loss drag their spirits and belief down.

“It’s a lesson learned for us,” said Rey Nambatac after seeing his five-point eruption that helped TNT grab an 89-86 cushion wrecked by Mr. Perez’ late outburst.

High intensity, clutch baskets, aggressive plays and bruising physicality and even psywar tactics have marked the first three matches and the protagonists expect it to be heightened further moving forward.

“It’s the finals. We’re playing for a championship. So if we’re not getting in the other team’s face and they’re not getting in our face, what are we doing? If you don’t have that type of energy, then you’re not showing that you want to win,” said Mr. Ross, who had a verbal altercation with TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa last Sunday.

“So we expect them to come at us and they expect us to go at them. It’s the finals and it’s two really good teams going at it and you shouldn’t expect anything less and I hope the fans are really tuned in because this is really high-level basketball that’s being played and it’s really a treat for everybody.” — Olmin Leyba