Cone has eye on refs in Game Three

Coach Tim Cone will have one eye on the players, and the other on the referees when Game Three  of the PBA Fiesta Cup best-of-seven finals is played tonight at the Araneta  Coliseum.

The series between Alaska and Talk N Text, two teams hungry for a title, is tied at one game apiece, and tonight’s winner will move two wins away from the championship.

Alaska won the opener, 113-85, then felt it was ambushed by the referees in losing a foul-riddled contest, 120-113, last Sunday as the series was trimmed to a best-of-five.

“It’s now even. And we hope to use this win as a springboard for the next game,” said Talk N Text coach Derrick Pumaren after Game Two which featured a total of 69 fouls and 79 free throws.

Pumaren, eyeing his first crown with Talk N Text, said after Sunday’s victory that very minor adjustments need to be made as long as his players come up with the same type of performance.

Talk N Text starters JJ  Sullinger, Mark Cardona, Felix Belano, Harvey Carey and Yancy de Ocampo combined for107 points for the win, as compared to the 87 from the Alaska front-liners.

“But it’s a long series. We made the adjustments and we won. Now they’re (Aces) going to make the adjustment,” added Pumaren, who has faced Cone in four finals, winning two for Sunkist.

The adjustment that Cone may have in mind, however, should come from the referees. The Alaska coach said the officials are calling too many touch fouls that are taking away the intensity of the game.

“I just don’t know what adjustments need to be made. We got two days to figure that out. But frankly I don’t know if they’ll allow Cardona to get to the basket and literally we can’t touch him,” said Cone.

“Maybe we can just make it a shootout and score 145 points if that’s what they want, if they’d be happy with that. Touch fouls in a championship series just doesn’t make sense.

“I don’t know what to tell my players. I don’t know how they’ll play defense. Honestly, did you guys enjoy watching the game?” Cone asked as mediamen listened.

Still, he did not take anything away from the Phone Pals. 

“To be fair, they came out and kicked our butts at the beginning of the basketball game. They played very well. No doubt about it,” said Cone.