Mental Toughness key for Mixers

Instead of working the refs,
Mixers need to go to work

The San Mig Coffee Mixers blew out the Rain or Shine Elastopainters just a few days ago, everyone thought that it would help turn the series in their corner and that they were in control. Well the "Nightmare on Christmas" happened, as the Elastopainters easily and handily returned the favor and sacked the Mixers in a demoralizing 98-72 fashion.

Elastopainters' head coach Yeng Guiao was right on two accounts: that his team had "more stoppers than they (Mixers) have scorers (James Yap and PJ Simon)" and also that the "burden of adjustments" fall squarely on Mixers' head coach Tim Cone et. al. There's no other way to go about it, it seems as though all the Elastopainters have to do to win the series is to "stay the course" which is to play to their trademark: aggressive, physical and relentless style. When they're sticking to the Mixers, hustling for the basketball and doing the little things such as Jireh Ibanes getting into Yap's face even when the 2x PBA MVP isn't even the focus of a play, it will translate to an Elastopainter victory no matter how close/ far the scores are.

As for the Mixers, they have no one else to blame but themselves.

Hostile: Alaska vs Rain or Shine

Ala-RoS has all the makings
of a WWE Title Fight

... is the word that best captures what fans wanted to see in yesterday's match pitting the streaking Alaska Aces and steady Rain or Shine Elastopainters. It was a glimpse of what the PBA was turning into: the team that embodies the last two years' physical, throwback, Pinoy game versus the other one that is exploring this "new" territory behind rookie Calvin "The Beast" Abueva.

But Beau Belga "pa-simples" aside, fireworks didn't erupt. Our prediction of "two flagrants and three technicals"didn't come into fruition. The game was tight with the Aces leading by no more than 6 points at the end of 3 quarters before the Elastopainters, true to form, came storming back behind ace gunner Jeffrei Chan (who we now understand was given the monicker "Negros Sniper"-- okay, we can work with that.)

PBA GovCup Finals: X-Factors

Uhm. Foul?

Now that the dust has settled somewhat and we're just waiting for the opening tip-off of the PBA Governor's Cup Finals match-up between the Rain or Shine Elastopainters and BMeg Llamados, here are the guys that this writer believes could steal a game or two for their respective teams.

The Llamados' tenacious power forward Marc Pingris is usually associated with lists such as this one, but now that he's been elevated to full-time PBA superstar status, let's move on to the guys who may or may not always be on the scouting report (or Quinito Henson's on-and-off "Dean's List").