Starting next week the finals of the PLDT Home Telpad Governors’ Cup will commence. It will be between the grand slam-seeking San Mig Coffee Mixers and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. The Mixers are actually looking for their 4th straight Philippine Basketball Association title while the Painters have made it to the finals in 4 of the last 7 conferences. But before we talk about the finals, let's talk about how they got there.
San Mig Coffee had a gritty series against the similarly star-studded Talk N' Text Tropang Texters. The Texters fought back from being down 0-2 to force a deciding Game 5. The Mixers survived and their chance to give Tim Cone another grand slam is alive.
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters had a harder route. Their series against the Alaska Aces has been very physically and full of drama. The turning point of the series was in Game 4 when "The Slip" happened.
It was Game 4 and Alaska was leading 2-1 in the series and they only need to win one more game. The score was tied at 121-all with less than a minute to play in overtime. Spitfire JVee Casio stole ball and had a clear path to the basket. He was alone and everyone watching the game and even the Rain or Shine team were resigned that he will give Alaska the lead. Then suddenly, Casio stepped on a wet spot floor. He lost the ball and appeared to injure his knee. Not only did the Aces lost a chance to finish off the pesky Painters but they also lost their ace guard. Casio was never the same after he slipped. He missed two attempts to win or bring the game to another overtime. He missed Game 5 where the Aces fought valiantly even without 3 starters and just lost by just 3 points.
What a way to end the game, series, and their season. Alaska was on the verge of another Finals appearance, their first under Coach Alex Compton. It would have been fitting that the former team of Tim Cone will try to play spoiler in his grand slam bid but it was never meant to be. The Aces lost to the Painters by a 51 point margin early in the conference. That embarrassment was the start of their rise in the conference. They manage to reach the semis and was denied "The Slip".
The Gatas Republic is left imagining what could have been. Here are some possibilities.
- They could have won and get slaughtered in the finals as they won't have Sonny Thoss and Gabby Espinas.
- They could have lost Game 4 and have Casio shoot the lights out in Game 5 to lead Alaska to the finals. He continues his hot-shooting and ended of dominating Barocca and the rest of the Mixers to spoil their bid.
- They could have lost Game 4 and lost Game 5 even with Casio.
Through sports people are sometimes reminded that there's such a thing as destiny and God or the devil could be watching games. A lot of people are shaking their heads because "The Slip" caused them a day's wage that they bet for their favourite team. It's cruel, it's painful, it's unfair but it is life. There are days that we get so lucky while there are also days they we want to forget. The players would try to move on but deep in their hearts they are truly hurting. Some would never be the same. Some rise up to become better and stronger. Let us see how JVee, Alex, and the rest of the Aces respond after they are given by the Rain or Shine Painters another heartbreak.
So, a rivalry begin....
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