Game today:
Araneta Coliseum
7 p.m. – San Miguel vs. Rain or Shine
Will the San Miguel Beermen be able to finally vanquish the gritty Rain or Shine Elasto Painters or will they be forced to go through the gauntlet known as Game 5?
The answers to these questions will be known tonight as the two proud squads do battle in Game 4 of the best-of-five semifinals series in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen leaned on their incredible shooting from beyond the three-point arc to put down the Elasto Painters in Game 3, 114-108, and take a 2-1 series lead.
A win today will put San Miguel in the finals opposite early qualifiers Alaska, which it faced in the Philippine Cup finals earlier this year.
But Rain or Shine is expected to fight tooth and nail to send this highly competitive series to a decider.
The Elasto Painters must buckle down on the Beermen’s long range bombers after San Miguel made 18 of their 27 attempts from rainbow country in Game 4.
Import AZ Reid had seven triples as part of a 37-point night while Alex Cabagnot added five three-pointers in a surprising 26-point, nine-assist outburst. Marcio Lassiter, who had a whopping 10 treys in Game 3, added four more in scoring 15 points.
Another point of emphasis for Rain or Shine was the play of their big men, who had sub-par performances in Game 4 owing to their bouts with foul trouble.
Raymund Almazan had five while Wendell Mckines and JR Quinahan were saddled with three each. Former Gilas big man Beau Belga sat out Game 4 because of an injured ankle but is expected to suit up today.
The numbers, though, are not in Rain or Shine’s favor as 39 of the 53 teams that have broke a 1-1 tie have gone on to win the series.