On Sunday, the San Miguel Beermen seized a dramatic 2-1 series lead in their PBA Philippine Cup Finals rematch with the TNT Tropang 5G. They did so thanks to a late-game CJay Perez explosion that turned what looked like an impending loss into a victory for San Miguel.
It is probably one big reason veteran Chris Ross is preaching a go-for-the-kill mentality, even with the Beermen in the driver’s seat.
“It’s a race to four. We haven’t done anything [yet],” said Ross after San Miguel’s Game 3 win on Sunday. “We’re happy after this win, but it’s still the same emotions we had in Game 1. We need to bounce back. We take the same approach every game.”
San Miguel Goes for the Jugular, but TNT Looks to Flip the Script
So far, this series mirrors the same trend as the last PBA Philippine Cup, with TNT taking Game 1 and San Miguel taking Games 2 and 3. Last time around, the Beermen won Game 4 and ultimately finished off the Tropa in six games for the crown.
Needless to say, Game 4 is huge both ways, as a victory for San Miguel puts them on the doorstep of another Philippine Cup title. A win for TNT, on the other hand, changes the complexion of this series and places the Tropa firmly in contention to dethrone the champs.
Chris Ross Hurting, RR Pogoy Healing
One thing to watch for Game 4 would be the fitness of two players—Ross for San Miguel and RR Pogoy for TNT.
While he has not been putting up big numbers, Ross continues to be an integral part of the San Miguel juggernaut as the team’s defensive lynchpin and offensive stabilizer, especially when TNT goes to that swarming full-court press. Unfortunately for the Beermen, the veteran guard has been dealing with a sore Achilles while also injuring his ankle in Game 3.
Pogoy, on the other hand, is arguably TNT’s best two-way force, and he made his PBA Philippine Cup Finals debut in Game 3 after dealing with a hamstring strain. He has already said he is pain-free, which means he might be due for an explosion in Game 4.
The pivotal Game 4 of this series tips off at 7:30 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena.
