Philippine Sports News and Updates

Harbour Centre is expected to go for the jugular against Magnolia Purewater on Tuesday to take the PBL Flex Linoleum Cup championship in Game 4 at The Arena in San Juan.

Harbour Centre coach Jorge Gallent said the championship could be much sweeter if they win it Tuesday and end the best-of-five Finals series.
“This is the mother of all battles for us,” said Gallent. “We have to play as if there’s no more tomorrow.”

Game time is set at 2:30 p.m. with the momentum clearly on Harbour’s side following its easy 93-73 win over the Wizards last Saturday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Reed Juntilla, Benedict Fernandez, Al Vergara, Rico Maierhofer and the prolific rookie in Mark Barroca are again expected to lead the Batang Pier’s assault against Magnolia’s Neil Raneses, Al Magpayo, Dylan Ababou and JP Alcaraz.

Magnolia must find ways to stop Juntilla and Barroca who have been consistently scoring in double figures since Game 1. Vergara and Jerwin Gaco – the only original player left in the team – are also proving to be a big headache for Magnolia coach Koy Banal.

Vergara is a crafty guard who provides stability and additional firepower while the 6-foot-4 Gaco held Raneses to just eight points in Game 3 after sizzling for 25 in Game 2.

“We have to dominate the boards, rotate the ball well and stay cool,” said Gallent. “Our aggressiveness and our pressure defense has been the key to our previous wins.”

And that was clearly absent in Magnolia’s game last Saturday after winning Game 2, 84-80.

Banal admitted that they lost their focus early in the game but vowed to come back strong in Game 4.

“Basta may buhay, may pag-asa,” Banal. “We have to focus on the game, we have to focus on our task and responsibility. We should not focus on officiating because we’re not referees.”

Banal said they also have to work hard on their rebounding after being dominated by the Batang Pier in their previous five games.