Roll over and die

TABE! Dadaan ang Hari
(Photo from PhilStar.Com)

In yet another sleepwalker of a game that should serve as a demoralizer more than anything else to the "growing" Rain or Shine Elastopainters' "Bayan ng Rain or Shine," the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters put on a clinic on how basketball is played by the elite.

Again the Texters were in full control of the game despite enjoying only slim margins going into the fourth. Again the Elastopainters seemed to have forgotten what brought them to the PBA Philippine Cup Finals-- their aggressiveness and relentlessness on the basketball (coupled with some heavyweight physicality). There's no going around this one, they were just beat. Bullied into submission save for the mini-run that they were able to muster in the 3rd and 4th quarters which were easily doused with ice waters which runs through the veins of the Texters' Ranidel de Ocampo (and shared by Larry Fonacier and Jimmy Alapag-- just pick you poison really).


Even when they had the advantage in the 4th quarter with the Texters in early foul trouble with seven minutes still left to play, the Elastopainters couldn't take advantage. It should be noted though that during that time which the Texters used to pull away, Elastopainters' head coach Yeng Guiao sat his two best offensive weapons (at the time) Paul Lee and Jervy Cruz and brought in stoppers Jireh Ibanes and Gabe Norwood.

That backfired pretty quickly. The Texters' Jayson Castro was feeling it, and de Ocampo suddenly woke up yet again and rose to the occasion once he saw that teammate Kelly Williams' was starting to get toyed around with by Elastopainters' beefy Beau Belga. The pair simply went to work, and that put an end on the Elastopainters' title hopes-- now down 0-2.

What else do you want to say about this game other than it's just a bad match-up style wise? It's almost like a Nonito Donaire fight wherein he just toys around with his opponents, lets them have a few seconds of greatness before coming down with fists of fury. The Texters can defend the half court, and the Elastopainters money-maker, when they can't run, is sharing the ball in the half court. There's no need for the Texters to double on anyone since they have guys to match-up with whoever, so that prevents the Elastopainters from making anything happen at the rim save for a few crafty, head-scratch and praise-worthy Paul Lee and Ryan Arana drives.

Should the Elastopainters try and save what little respect and dignity they have for themselves, they need to win Game 3. The Texters are healthy, well-coached and well-disciplined. They know and respect the Elastopainters so much that they just won't take plays off. To win, the Elastopainters need to stand up and send one of the Texters to the floor-- hard and send a message ala that Lakers-Celtics Finals years back.

Iba yung magulang na mataba sa magulang na bato-bato ang katawan.