RAIN or Shine goes for the win its brilliant coach refers to as the "backbreaker" in its PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series against Petron on Saturday.
The Elasto Painters eye to make it three straight against the Boosters - and an 11th win in a row going back to the eliminations - when the two teams tangle in the crucial Game Three of their best-of-seven showdown at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Another win by Rain or Shine in the 3:30 p.m. collision would give the team a commanding 3-0 series lead, while pushing Petron on the brink of elimination and needing to sweep the last four games to make the Finals.
“If we win this game (Game Three), we’ll go up with a 3-0 lead which can be a backbreaker for Petron,” noted Guiao, whose team took a 2-0 lead after completing a come-from-behind 103-94 win last Wednesday.
The fiery Rain or Shine coach expects the game to be another bruising encounter, which he said, definitely suits well for his team.
“We’re not gonna change anything in our game plan. And so far, we’re handling the physical game well,” he said. “But for Petron, they will play out of character if they keep playing physical.”
At the same time, Guiao reminded his players to keep their focus on the game and not on officiating, which he said affected the Elasto Painters early in Game Two before regaining their bearings to beat the Boosters after trailing by as many as 13 points in the final quarter.
“We cannot focus on that (bad officiating) in this game. Eh kahit ako I need to hold myself back,” said Guiao, who was called for a technical foul during the game.
Meantime, Petron coach Gee Abanilla said the Boosters need to keep their acts together and try to sustain whatever gains they have going into Game Three.
”Our backs are against the wall. So it’s a very important game for us,” said Abanilla.
“We have to get our acts together and play the entire 48 minutes. Focus and mental toughness, as well as physical toughness are really important in this game.”
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