A WEARY San Miguel side showed up for Game One of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Sunday, leading to its 109-96 blowout loss at the hands of top-seeded TnT Katropa at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Coach Leo Austria admitted fatigue caught up with the Beermen, who only had a day of rest prior to the finals as their Final Four series with Rain or Shine didn’t end until Friday.
“It’s hard to play in the first game especially if you don’t have the time to prepare,” said Austria following the 13-point loss. “We’re not yet there because we’re not able to recover from the exhaustion we got from the semifinals.”
Game 2 is set Wednesday also at the Big Dome, giving San Miguel the time to recover and make the necessary adjustment against Terrence Jones and the Katropa.
Part of that adjustment, according to the champion coach, is to be on the lookout for the Katropa’s three-point shooting after being torched by the opposition behind a 13-of-38 shooting from downtown (34.2 percent).
“As usual yung kanilang three-point shots, we have to contain that and limit their outside shooting,” said Austria.
The Katropa also beat the Beermen in second chance points, 26-17, although San Miguel’s bench outscored its TnT counterparts, 25-8.
Curiously, the Beemen dominated the Katropa in fastbreak points, 15-0, despite TnT’s penchant for a running game.
For Austria, Jones was the other dominant factor that led to the Beermen’s loss.
“They have Jones na talagang nag-takeover,” he said.
The San Miguel mentor expects a better San Miguel Beer to show up in the next game.
“We’re still trying to regroup,” Austria added.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
