San Miguel Beermen Look to Secure Back-to-Back Wins Against Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
You might think San Miguel Beer would take it easy in their final elimination game of the PBA Governors Cup, having already achieved their primary objective of securing a top-four slot in the quarterfinals.
Coach Jorge Gallent says his Beermen shouldn’t let their guard down in preparation for Friday’s game against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at the PhilSports Arena.
Rain or Shine is eliminated from playoff contention after suffering its fourth consecutive loss on March 4, bringing its record to 2-8 and guaranteeing it will finish in last place. The team’s only objective is to finish the season on a high note, which means a victory.
Even for 8-2 SMB, whose final seeding in the elimination rounds depends partly on the outcome of the other match between TNT and Barangay Ginebra later in the evening, this game should be fine.
With the last eight games starting this Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Beermen will have a twice-to-beat advantage over their opponents.
While still adjusting to life without star center June Mar Fajardo, coach Gallent expects his team to play with the same aggressiveness that earned them a win-once reward in the next round in a 120-106 victory over NLEX last Wednesday.
Fajardo would be out for at least six weeks with an MCL injury he sustained earlier this month during SMB’s participation in the EASL Champions’ Week.
Cameron Clark, Vic Manuel, Mo Tautuaa, and Rodney Brondial capably filled in the lanes for SMB, and CJ Perez, Jericho Cruz, and Allyn Bulanadi led the way for those who chipped in on offense to make up for the loss of the six-time MVP.
I know June Mar is a big factor here, so we have to double up on offense and defense, so I hope they continue playing hard and with a lot of effort,” said Gallent.
The Beermen hope that against the E-Painters, Terrence Romeo will take another step toward returning to his old lethal form after missing the team’s first nine games with a hamstring injury.
After playing his first 2:53 of the conference against NLEX and missing his only shot, Romeo is expected to see more playing time on Friday, according to Gallent.
“I just hope that he’s fully recovered so that he can get his game back before the playoffs,” Gallent added.
Final Thoughts
After analyzing the PBA schedule and the article about the San Miguel Beermen’s bid to win back-to-back games against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, it is clear that the Beermen are a formidable team with a solid game plan. Their impressive performance in the previous game gives them an edge over the Elasto Painters. However, as with any sport, there are no guarantees, and the Elasto Painters are a team that cannot be underestimated. It will be interesting to see how both teams perform in the upcoming game, and fans of both teams are in for an exciting match. Overall, the article provides a brief but informative overview of the game and sets the stage for an exciting matchup.
