NLEX has just won a "moral victory."
It's time for a more tangible one when the Road Warriors collide with the Magnolia Ang Pambansang Manok Hotshots Sunday in what could be a pivotal Game 5 in their PBA Philippine Cup semi-finals duel at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
NLEX is on a high following a 91-79 victory last Friday that knotted the best-of-seven series at two games apiece and a second straight win would put it within another of making the finals for the first time.
Magnolia coach Chito Victolero just wants his team to shrug off that loss and put its act together anew like it did in racking up back-to-back wins following a defeat in the series opener.
"It's down to a best-of-three series. We need to play together and stay together," said Victolero, adding his charges should be aided by the lessons learned from their experience in last season's playoffs.
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Pitted against Barangay Ginebra in the semi-finals of the same tournament last year, the team then known as Star took the first two games, lost two straight, won Game 5 but badly lost the last two.
"We experienced it last season so hindi na bago itong sitwasyon namin, na natablahan," noted Victolero.
"We just need to regroup, physically and, more important, mentally."
For NLEX coach Yeng Guiao, his team's latest win is a big boost but his Road Warriors must not stray from the track he has mapped out.
"Ang objective naman namin is to stretch this series for as long as we can. Pahabain lang namin ng pahabain. Maybe kung dumating ng Game 7 ito baka maka-tsamba kami roon, maungusan namin sila," stated Guiao.
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"I guess even with (Marc) Pingris not playing underdog pa rin naman kami. The experience you gain playing in the semi-finals for as long as they've had is really valuable. Napaka-importante noon, na wala kami as a team.
"So just to tie the series at 2-2, to us is really a big moral victory. Makatabla kami sa 2-2 ibig saibin may sixth game pa ito. Makarating ng Game 7, ano man maging resulta, masaya na kami."
Victolero said his team will cross that bridge when it gets there. "If it goes to a best-of-seven okay 'yun. Kumbaga, kung Game 7, Game 7," he stated.
"But one game at a time muna, starting on Sunday." (NC)
