OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: All Filipino gold medal play begins
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 14 Feb 2014
Guiao.
?It?s gonna be war!?
Thus declared coaches Yeng Guiao of Rain Or Shine and Tim Cone of San Miguel Coffee, protagonists in the best of seven playoff for the PBA 2014 Philippine Cup (All Filipino), which was supposed to raise its curtain last night at the Araneta Coliseum.
?Giyera ito!? Guiao who is in search of his first All Filipino crown in addition to the six he had already collected previously, said by way of describing the title series when asked during the finals press conference held Thursday at a restaurant in Libis Quezon City. Walang bigayan. Galit-galit muna.?
Cone, who appeared sleepy following a seven-game triumph over sister team and crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra a night before, had none of such a war-like statements merely saying he was excited in being in the All Filipino finals for the eighth time, four of them rewarding him of four championship rings.
The atmosphere was none of the animosity that normally prevails in an event like that.
The Elasto Painters and the Mixers made it to the gold medal play via separate routes with the franchise owned by Raymond Yu and Terry Que advancing quite easier by beating Petron Blaze, 4-1 in their separate playoff.
The Mixers found the going rougher though having to survive the challenge posed by the Gin Kings, who they had to conquer only after the full seven-game route, the last though via a lopsided 110-87 count last Thursday, thus frustrating the thousands of Ginebra supporters who thronged to the Big Dome in droves in the entire duration of the series.
That victory shattered a 3-all deadlock forge by The Kings? pulsating come-from-behind decision in Game 6 that saw the now-retired Ginebra playing-coach Robert the ?Big-J? Jaworski, giving the Kings a pep in their dugout at halftime in what inspired co ach Ato Agustin?s chargers to the series? extending win.
Basketball?s ?living legend? though wasn?t able to come back in Game 7 due to pressing business commitment in China that fans of the Kings attributed to their favorite team?s loss.
Ginebra or no Ginebra though, both coaches as well as league chair Ramon Segismundo and commissioner Chito Salud expect an exciting and thrilling series the fans would sure love.
?The All Filipino has always been the most important tournament in the PBA , It?s the crown Jewel of all three tournaments in a season and I?m very excited to be playing in the finals again,? Cone said. ?We had nary a sleep after last night?s Game 7 and we will still be practicing this afternoon after the press con, but I want to assure basketball fans that we?ll be there fighting our hearts out.?
Prompting commissioner Salud to ask that the media meeting be cut short, prompting Guiao to butt in: ?Kami wala kaming problema, puede kami hanggang 6 o?clock,? thus, eliciting laughter from the attendee.
Asked whether he was happy that Jaworski did not show up in Games 7, Cone retorted: ?Yeah, I sure was. In fact, during our halftime huddle when we were leading, like in Game 6, I feared for another Jaworski?s surpsise appearance. I was only relieved when no shouting from the crowd happened ass when we were coming back to the playing court.?
Guiao, for his part and answering a query whether he?s happy it?s San Mig which Ran or Shine is facing in the finals, said: ?Wala akong problema. Mas Masaya kung Ginebra (ang makakalaban). Pero mas mahirap ang San Mig.?
Cone appeared in the press con with James , PJ Simon, Pingris, Marc Barroca and Joe De Vance in tow, while Guiao was with Beau Belga, Gabe Norwood, Paul Lee and Jeff Chan.
Cone assessed Guiao and his Painters can use their five-day rest as an advantage, which the latter dispelled saying it could only be a minimal edge owing to the fact that a championship playoff is a different game.
On the contrary, Guiao added, it is Cone and his mixers who have the advantage in the offensive savy of Yap, Simon, and even the rookies Ian Sangalang ang Justin Melton who have already shown maturity in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.
?San Mig is a much improved and matured team now than when they won their last championships, ? Guiao projected.
The existing pleasant atmosphere inside the room betrayed though what?s at stake in the title series. Guiao, for instance . besides gunning for his All Filipino ring also would be eyeing for only a second title for the franchise, while Cone, also for a second championship since moving to the Purefoods franchise from Alaska Milk a few years back.
More importantly, the former Alaska mentor of more than 20 years and the only fourth PBA coach to win a Grand Slam. Is seeking to break the legendary Baby Dalupan?s 15 title triumphs which he tied two years ago in gifting the then B-Meg (now San Mig Coffee) its firsts title win in the Governor?s Cup.
That was also the year Guiao won his last ring and the first for Rain or Shine.
A victory in this All Filipino will also move Cone one more title conquest to also duplicate Dalupan?s six Philippine Cup jewel.
For the Pampango Congressman, a win will separate him from a tie with Tommy Manotoc, another Grand Slam winner, with six titles under their sleeves and move two shy of Jong Uichico?s and Chot Reyes? eight.
If Cone wins the title series, he will be the first coach in the history of the PBA to score to Grand Slams, thus, disentangling himself from a multiple tie with Dalupan, Norman Black and Manotoc, who each had succeeded in sweeping a three-conference season each.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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