4 WINS NEEDED
Game today
Araneta Coliseum
7 p.m. — San Miguel vs. Alaska
The San Miguel Beermen take their first of four cracks at the championship as they look to sweep the Alaska Aces tonight in Game 4 of the 40th PBA Governors’ Cup Best-of-Seven Finals at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen erected an imposing 3-0 lead after gutting out a 96-89 win in Game 3 last Wednesday night.
No team in league history has recovered from a 0-3 deficit, putting the Beermen in great position to win their 21st championship title—the most by any team in the PBA.
Though odds favor his team, San Miguel coach Leo Austria remains cautious.
“We all know it takes four wins to win this series. Masyado nang napakaliit ng porsyento para makuha nila ito, pero hindi kami hihintong maglaro hanggang hindi tapos ang series,” said Austria. “We won’t think about our chance to sweep them. We’ll still treat each game as a do-or-die game.”
Alaska is not about to throw in the towel just yet.
“There’s the first man who walked in the moon. There’s somebody that will be first on everything,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton. “We’ll be there playing. If San Miguel is to win the series, they have to earn it,” Compton also said.
But if they are to extend the series, Alaska must find ways to stop San Miguel import AZ Reid, who scored 41 points in Game 3 and accounted for 11 points in a 13-2 crucial run in the fourth period that turned the tide to the Beermen’s favor.
Alaska import Romeo Travis has to get going too for Alaska to stay alive. Travis, who was named the conference’s Best Import, scored just 17 in Game 3 and went scoreless in the pivotal fourth.