Caida vows comeback after DL loss

MANILA, Philippines – Caida Tile, still smarting from a harrowing loss, tries to get back on the road as it takes on undefeated Phoenix-FEU today in the 2016 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup.

The Tile Masters squandered a 24-point lead and fell to CafeFrance, 90-87 last Thursday as they fell to their first defeat in four games.

But coach Caloy Garcia is keeping his patience with his squad.

“I told them that we faced a champion team in CafeFrance and we have to learn from this experience,” he said. “Our target is to make it to the top four for the twice-to-beat advantage. It’s still a long season and we just have to learn to play together.”

But Caida won’t have much time to reassess as it continues its tough three-game stretch, this time against the Accelerators.

Phoenix has shown its capability to weather big leads before, and coach Eric Gonzales would have no problem letting guys like Mike Tolomia, Mac Belo, Roger Pogoy, and Ed Daquioag take over to counter the Tile Masters’ potent quartet of Jiovani Jalalon, Rey Nambatac, Jason Perkins, and Jonathan Grey.

But the soft-spoken coach downplayed the battle between the league’s two frontrunners, and rather, saw his team as the heavy underdog.

“Mabigat na kalaban yung Caida. Hopefully, we can give them a fight,” said Gonzales.

Game time is at 4 p.m. at San Juan Arena, following the duel between the skidding UP QRS/JAM Liner and the still winless Mindanao Aguilas at 2 p.m.