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Defending champion Harbour Centre made some vital adjustments to
beat Hapee Toothpaste in Game 2 Saturday to level their title series
in the 2008 PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup.
Hapee does not intend to make major changes in
Monday’s Game 3 at the President Jose P. Laurel gym in Tanauan
City.
“It’s going to be a minor one. In fairness
to Harbour Centre, its players really played impressively,
especially in the third quarter,” said Hapee coach Louie Alas, who
is hoping to win his first-ever PBL title.
Harbour coach Jorge Gallent also plans the same
thing—no new menu on the table—when they clash at 4 p.m. (The
game will be shown simultaneously on Basketball TV and IBC from 6 to
8 p.m.)
“We’ll have to maintain our aggressiveness
on both ends of the court and hope that my shooters will click
again,” said Gallent.
In Game 1, the Batang Pier, who are gunning for
a fifth straight championship, took an 18-point lead twice. But the
Complete Protectors managed to wipe it out behind their brilliant
ball movement, patience and resilience.
But during their game at the Ayong Maliksi gym
in Trece Martires City a couple of days back, the Complete
Protectors failed to find ways to retaliate as they lacked the zeal
and sharpness that characterized their game in the opener of the
best-of-five series.
“Kung baga sa manok, parang baliktad ang tari
ng mga bata,” said Alas.
Still, Alas is not losing hope, believing his
players have what it takes to stage a comeback.
“The war is far from over, we have a good
chance of winning the series,” said Alas. “But we have to take
Game 3 first.”
For Hapee to beat the Mikee Romero-owned Harbour
Centre, Alas said they have to shoot well from afar to break
Harbour’s rock-solid zone defense.
“That’s the most important thing, we have to
shoot well and play consistent defense from start to finish,” said
Alas, who ordered his players to undergo a one-hour shooting drill
Sunday.
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