SOURCE: PBA.PH
Thu, 12/03/2009 - 21:56 — junior
A TEAM's place in the standings is no real gauge of its mettle.
Take it from Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.
“They remain a very dangerous team,” noted the veteran mentor on the eve of his Kings' clash with the Barako Bull Energy Boosters Friday in the 2009-10 KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
The perennial crowd favorites are eyeing a second straight win that will keep them firmly entrenched at at least third-running spot behind idle leader Alaska and San Miguel Beer.
Barako Bull, meanwhile, is trying to snap out of a six-game slide that is currently the tournament's worst. But that doesn't mean spirit has seeped out of the George Chua-owned franchise.
“The boys remain optimistic,” said Energy Boosters coach Leo Isaac. “They have come to realize they can play against anybody in this league and this realization gives them the confidence we need against a tough team like Ginebra.”
Barako's latest loss was via an 88-99 count to Alaska last Sunday in a game where the Energy Boosters rallied back to within five points after trailing by as many as 21 points.
Prior to that, Isaac's charges bowed to the Sta. Lucia Realtors 77-80, but only in overtime.
“They just lose games in the end,” Uichico pointed out. “We must not be in a position to make them be in the game at the end.”
For its part, Ginebra bucked its manpower woes to beat Coca-Cola 113-104 last Friday.
The Kings drew a personal conference-high 33 points from Ronald Tubid and 22 from Cyrus Baguio, plus 11 points and six assists from 39-year-old Johnny Abarrientos, to withstand the absence of point guards Jayjay Helterbrand (pinched nerve) and Celino Cruz (sore back).
A victory by Ginebra and a loss by SMB to Sta. Lucia later in the evening could even move the Kings to a tie for second with their sister team.
Realtors coach Boyet Fernandez is determined to avenge his team's 69-88 loss to the Beermen the first time they met and move his wards up into a share of fourth with idle Talk N Text and Purefoods.
To achieve those goals, Sta. Lucia must stop SMB's tournament-best winning streak at eight.
“It will be a tough game,” said Fernandez. “San Miguel is one of the top teams with a star-studded lineup. We have to show up with lots of intensity and mental toughness to win tomorrow. We are always ready every game and the SMB game is no exception.”
The Realtors have already shown they can hold down the Beermen.
In SMB's streak, it won by an average margin of close to 17 points with a score ratio of 100.1-83.6. Only the Realtors held them below 100.
“Our defense will be crucial tomorrow,” reiterated Fernandez. (NC)
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