Labanang magkapatid

MANILA, Philippines – Ang 114-110 pagtakas laban sa NLEX sa quarterfinals ang magsisilbing leksyon para sa nagdedepensang San Miguel sa kanilang pagsagupa sa Barangay Ginebra sa semifinals series ng 2016 PBA Governor’s Cup.

Nagtayo ng 63-48 bentahe ang Beermen sa first half hanggang makalapit ang Road Warriors sa fourth quarter.

“When we get a double-digit lead, the tendency is to relax,” wika ni San Miguel coach Leo Austria. “I told them before the game we scored 102 points per game but we give up 100 points. We will not win if we don’t improve on defense.”

Muling masusubukan ang depensa ng San Miguel sa pagsagupa sa Ginebra sa Game One ng kanilang best-of-five semifinals showdown ngayong alas-7 ng gabi sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Itinakda ng Gin Kings ang kanilang semifinals duel ng Beermen makaraang sibakin ang Alaska Aces, 109-104 sa quarterfinals.

Kapwa nagbitbit ang San Miguel at Ginebra ng ‘twice-to-beat’ advantage bilang No. 2 at No. 3 team, ayon sa pagkakasunod, laban sa No. 7 NLEX at No. 6 Alaska.

“Honestly, it’s good preparation for us in the future,” sabi ni Beermen shooting guard Marcio Lassiter matapos ang panalo sa Road Warriors. “It will be close games, when it’s close we know we have to overcome adversity and this is one of them.”

Itinuturing naman ni two-time PBA Grand Slam champion coach Tim Cone ang San Miguel bilang ‘team-to-beat’ at hindi ang TNT Katropa, ang No. 1 team sa elimination round.

“With all due respect to TNT, I think SMB is still the team to beat in the semis. With June Mar (Fajardo) and all the wea-pons around him, it’s not a stretch to say they’re really tough. Fajardo is tough to handle especially without Greg (Slaughter),” wika ni Cone.