Judgment day in Final Four

Stiff sanctions were meted out in the aftermath of what had been a tumultuous week in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Final Four but action is expected to remain keen and intense as the four contending teams end their battle in double sudden-deaths today.

For San Miguel Beer, Alaska Milk, Red Bull and Purefoods, it’s do or die as they knock each other out in a couple of expected August thrillers at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

The Beermen and the Aces take the floor first at 5:15 p.m. before the Thunder and the Hotdogs seize the spotlight at 7:30.

All four coaches predict nothing less than a war notwithstanding the Commissioner’s Office action Monday, summnoning six players and imposing a total of P49,000 in fines for various offenses ranging from deliberate to flagrant and technical fouls in the first four games of the semifinal round.

Coaches Jong Uichico of San Miguel, Tim Cone of Alaska, Yeng Guiao of Red Bull and Eric Altamirano of Purefoods believe they have made the right adjustments in their games and their teams will be armed to the teeth when they set out for the make-or-break settos.

"We know that we can’t afford to crack down even for a brief moment. You can’t afford that when you’re playing a team like San Miguel. They’re tough and very organized," said Cone.

"We’ve bungled our first crack at the finals but we have still one more. It’s the last so pipilitin naming makuha," said Jong Uichico.

"As I’ve said we’ve never been this close to the finals and I don’t think the boys won’t let this one slip away. Game Four slipped in our hands but we’ll do our best to get it in Game Five," said Guiao.

Said Altamirano: "It will be anybody’s game but with my team showing a big heart, I’m sure we’ll have a good shot at it."

PBA watchers agree it will be anybody’s game on both sides although they’re curious on how the young Red Bull team will respond to the test following its horrowing experience in Game Four of its series against Purefoods.

The Thunder came within minutes of nailing a first-ever finals Sunday but suddenly lost composure as the Hotdogs fought back using the incident sparked by Mick Pinnisi’s flagrant foul on Boyet Fernandez as a rallying point.

Now, Red Bull plays only its second sudden-death match in the league. The Thunder experienced their first do-or-die match in the All-Filipino Cup quarterfinals early this year, bowing to the San Miguel Beermen.