FOR only the sixth time in league history, the PBA D-League finals go to a winner-take-all tussle with Game Five of the 2018 Foundation Cup series between Go for Gold and Che’Lu Bar and Grill set on Thursday at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
The Scratchers and the Revellers vie to be only the eighth team to win the crown.
Game time is at 5 p.m.
The goal hasn’t changed for Che’Lu Bar and Grill, which is to finally win it all after settling for a runner-up finish in the Aspirants’ Cup.
“Yun naman ang sabi ng mga bosses sa amin eh: win it all,” said coach Stevenson Tiu, as a win for his side not only erases the tough defeat to Zark’s Burger-Lyceum last conference, but it would also put him in the ranks of other champion coaches who emerged victorious in the D-League.
His Revellers proved that they want to achieve that goal, coming up big and taking the Game Four win on Tuesday to set up this sudden death finish.
“Alam na namin yung pakiramdam na maging runner-up, kaya tinanong ko sila kung gusto ba ulit nilang maramdaman yun,” he said, as for one final time, he’s entrusting everything to his boys led by Conference MVP Jeff Viernes, Chris Bitoon, Jessie Collado and JayR Taganas.
Go for Gold also isn’t willing to settle for a silver medal finish.
And for coach Charles Tiu, if there’s a better time for his wards to shape up and play to their full capacity, it’s definitely this game.
“On paper, alam namin yung lakas ng team namin eh. We know we have the capacity to win the title. These guys are winners, eh,” he said. “Alam nila kung ano ang dapat naming gawin. It’s just a matter of the boys doing what they have to do.”
Gab Banal leads the Scratchers along with Paul Desiderio, Matt Salem and Jai Reyes.
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