RAIN or Shine’s urge to wrap things up has become more of a need now, while Alaska’s growing confidence is now a threat to the Painters.
Something’s got to give as the Elasto Painters and the Aces lock horns again in the continuation of their competitive best-of-seven finals showdown in the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup.
After blowing its first two chances of taking a PBA title, Rain or Shine is hoping that it can finally claim the championship and avoid a very dangerous situation against a rejuvenated Alaska squad in Game 6 of the series today at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Still ahead 3-2 in the series, the Elasto Painters, who zoomed to a huge 3-0 lead to jumpstart the finals only to lose the next two games, will once again look to finish off the Aces and win the championship on their third try.
“This next game is basically a do-or-die game for us now. There’s no other way, we need to finish it,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.
However, they now have to be more wary of the scenery as the Aces have closed in on them after willing their way back in the series with victories in Games 4 and 5 to tighten the gap to a single game.
Should Alaska win, it will force a winner-take-all Game 7 this Friday to decide the champion, negating all of Rain or Shine’s erstwhile 3-0 advantage.
The Aces took an 86-78 victory last Sunday night behind their star Calvin Abueva’s 20 points and 13 rebounds to extend the series and inch closer to the Elasto Painters.
Abueva, the Best Player of the Conference, gave his insights on how Alaska can continue its streak and extend the series to a deciding Game 7.
“Dapat ituloy lang namin ‘yung mga ginawa namin nitong mga huling laro. Limit namin ‘yung shooters nila, tapos more aggressive pa dapat kasi sa defense and mas doblehin pa ‘yung hustle namin,” said Abueva, who suddenly came alive in Games 4 and 5 after an average showing in the first three games of the series.
Alaska coach Alex Compton likewise wants his Aces to maintain their level of play and carry over their showing from the last two outings.
“I like the way we’re playing now and I just want us to play that way,” said Compton.
Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, who was supposed to go to the United Kingdom last weekend to visit her daughter for her graduation, but was forced to postpone his trip after his team’s failure to close the series out in its first two chances, is hoping that the Elasto Painters can finally close the book this time around.
For the Painters to do that, they need a much better performance from their import Pierre Henderson-Niles, who has been playing sub-par for most of the series, scoring only six points in Game 5.
