Defying the odds

Call them Coca-Cola’s wounded Tigers, bloodied but unbowed.

Just when oddsmakers thought Coca-Cola would roll over and die with two key starters out of commission, the Tigers sprang back to life to upset Alaska, 72-69, in overtime in Game 2 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Selecta All-Filipino Cup Finals at the Big Dome last Friday.

Now the best-of-5 series is even at a win apiece–a situation that suits Tigers coach Chot Reyes fine–and Game 4 is set on Christmas Day. So the duel has been reduced to a best-of-3 tie. You realize, of course, that in a short series, accidents can happen. Odds mean little in a best-of-3 war. Hot favorites Red Bull and San Miguel Beer can attest to that–they were both upset in the best-of-3 semis.

A Christmas Day game would’ve been avoided if the Aces won Friday night and if they make it three in a row in Game 3 tonight. But Coca-Cola would hear nothing of it. If there’s a Game 5, it will be played on Dec. 27, the latest the pro league will end a season in its 28-year history.

How Coca-Cola managed to eke out a victory in Game 2 defies logical explanation. The Tigers weren’t supposed to win. Even with a complete lineup, Coca-Cola couldn’t be favored against Alaska. Coach Tim Cone has too many Aces up his sleeves. But as the oldtimers say, bilog ang bola and it is–the proof was unimpeachable in Game 2.

Reyes outdid himself and his players once more overachieved in shocking Alaska back to earth last Friday. The Tigers leaned on the three Ds–defense, discipline, and determination–to get the job done. They were hungrier, more focused, and tried harder than the Aces who faltered down the stretch.

The decisive stats were second chance and turnover points. Coca-Cola had more second chance points, 19-8, even if both teams had equal offensive rebounds, meaning the Tigers capitalized and the Aces didn’t on second opportunities. The Tigers also tallied more turnover points, 18-11, on 17 Alaska errors, two more than Coca-Cola.

Additionally, the Tigers had the lion’s share of steals, a hustle indicator. Coca-Cola compiled seven swipes to Alaska’s three.

Out of necessity, Reyes adjusted the Tigers’ orientation from being offensive to being defensive. His idea was to slow down tempo for two reasons–to maximize the lungpower of his depleted cast and to keep the scores low to avoid Alaska breaking away early. As a result, seven Tigers played at least 20 minutes each and all eight Reyes sent in logged at least 10. In contrast, only five Aces played at least 20 minutes each–in fact, those five logged 32 or more. Ironically, Alaska’s bench is decisively deeper.

As expected, Alaska scored more fastbreak points, 15-4, despite Cone relying on a basic five-man nucleus. It’s understandable why Alaska focused on transition–the Aces looked to wear out Reyes’ decimated lineup. But the trick backfired on Alaska. In extension, the Aces looked a lot less energetic than the fired up Tigers.

Reyes’ gambit is to extend the series to as long as possible until Jeffrey Cariaso is able to play. Stretching it to a Game 4 is already an accomplishment for the Tigers. Cariaso is still day-to-day. He sat out both Games 1 and 2 so he could be ready to go tonight.

Losing Johnny Abarrientos was a big blow to Coca-Cola’s cause especially since the Flying A has finally regained his deadly form. He poured in 18 points—his season high—to lift the Tigers to a 74-62 win over San Miguel Beer in the Game 3 semifinal clincher for a ticket to the Last Dance. Then, Abarrientos improved his season high to score 20 in only 17 minutes before leaving Game 1 of the Finals for good, two minutes into the third period. The Flying A was rushed to the hospital where doctors diagnosed three fractures in his cheekbone. Reyes said the multiple injuries will require surgical fixation or plating.

The damage was done by two apparently inadvertent elbows he took during the game–first, while laying up in the opening half and second, in a rebounding situation early in the third period. No foul was called on either play.

A strongly-worded statement–author unknown–delivered by a Coca-Cola team messenger to the press before Game 2 called for a review of the quality of officiating in the PBA.

Here are excerpts from the statement:

"If a player in one game can suffer an injury such that his career is put at risk without a foul ever being called, then the PBA needs to review the quality of refereeing and even perhaps, study options that may provide solutions to human failure or weakness. It is bad enough that bad calls are made but bad calls are part of the game. It is worse when no calls are made despite the fact that players suffer such serious injuries as Johnny has.

"I make this appeal in behalf of Johnny. But I also make it in behalf of every other player, present or future. Let us not wait until more serious injuries occur before we sit up, take stock, and scratch our heads in regret that we sat idly by doing nothing when we could have acted earlier on."

Cariaso’s expected return tonight may or may not help the Tigers who are also missing the services of injured Estong Ballesteros and Cris Bolado. If he plays, the Jet might try to overdo it and disrupt the rhythm the Tigers showed in Game 2. If he doesn’t play, the Tigers might run out of gas early after a solid effort only two nights ago. That’s Reyes’ dilemma.

As for Cone, the Aces should learn from their mistakes in Game 2. Alaska shouldn’t think the series is just a formality. There’s still a title to be won–it’s far from being in the bag. The Aces got to the Finals the hard way, coming back from a Game 1 loss to beat highly-favored Red Bull back-to-back in the semis. That same kind of effort is what the Aces need to tame the wounded Tigers.