Marcio Lassiter (right) and the Beermen are going through a tough schedule of games that could determine their fate in the conference. -August Dela Cruz
San Miguel Beer got itself out of a bind on Sunday night when it escaped fellow team but arch rival Magnolia in an extremely important duel that could change the fate of both teams heading into the Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.
But Marcio Lassiter, one of the heroes of that 85-78 victory at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City, knows that the traditional powerhouse is not out of the woods yet.
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“The result, the situation shows what we are capable of doing. But this conference has really meant a lot to us,” he told reporters after the contest as San Miguel improved to a 4-4 (win-loss) record, good for eighth place in the race.
The Beermen are trying to adjust to the return of old coach Leo Austria, mold new players like Juami Tiongson and Andreas Kahilig and balance their PBA games with East Asia Super League matchups.
“It is not going to be easy. We have a lot of tough teams coming. And I think it’s all superficial [teams] Right now,” Lassiter added.
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San Miguel will look to move past that risky eighth seed with a string of games that include dangerous Meralco, league-leading Northport, rising rival Converge and Governors Cup titlist TNT.
When Marcio was told of San Miguel’s championship pedigree pulling the club through difficult times, he replied, “I hope so.” But having been in the league for a long time, the PBA’s best sniper also knows that most basketball games these days are decided in the end.
“We know we can trust [experience]But like tonight, it was a really close game. And that’s what’s going to happen a lot of times – in clutch time,” he said.
A win in their last four matches would make a huge difference to the Beermen’s plight, but it would be the best solace in an elimination round that is entering a crucial juncture.
tuesday game
That buzzy energy will be around Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Tuesday when the Bolts play at the Batang Pier and the Fiberaxers take on Rain or Shine in a duel of two teams looking to bounce back from losses.
“They’ve got a rhythm, their imports seem to be perfect to bring a lot to the table and they [recent] The trades have helped them become more balanced,” Meralco coach Luigi Trillo said of the pacesetters.
“I’m happy with the way we played defense [against TNT]But we need to follow through, which is going to be tough because they have multiple points of attack,” he said, referring to others like Northport cornerstone Arvin Tolentino and two-way ace Joshua Munzon.
“Obviously, they’re winning games. So we will come with a chip on our shoulders, ready to beat the top teams, Bolts import Akil Mitchell shouted.
“You want to talk about a big win? This will be too big for us—too big for us indeed. People are motivated, and I know I will definitely be motivated against [fellow import] Which has a good name and a team that is winning right now.”
Ranked seventh with five wins against three losses, Meralco could certainly use another win to help their cause as the heat begins to heat up within the race.
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Conference No. 2 Rain or Shine and fourth-ranked Converge, meanwhile, are involved in a clash that could boost them in search of twice-beaten safety. inquiry
