Limiting June Mar Fajardo wasn’t enough to stop San Miguel as a whole.
That’s what Phoenix head coach Louie Alas realized when his Fuel Masters managed to contain the 6-foot-10 slotman but still lost, 88-100, in Game One of their 2019 PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series on Saturday night.
Phoenix made it a hard night for Fajardo, as they only let him have nine points and nine rebounds – they even got him to foul out with 3:49 left to play. But the other Beermen stepped up in his absence en route to the 1-0 semis lead.
It was San Miguel’s guards who did most of the damage. Alex Cabagnot poured 26 points on their heads with seven assists. Meanwhile, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter had 14 markers apiece on identical 50 percent shooting from the field.
“Sabi ko sa team ko, we focused so much on their big guys na nalimutan natin yung perimeter nila.
“So now malaki na yung problema ko, magpe-prepare ako kay June Mar, magpe-prepare pa ako sa perimeter nila,” Alas lamented.
The Fuel Masters actually had the lead at the end of the first quarter. Unfortunately, their semifinals inexperience played a factor, as the Beermen stormed back in the second to take the driver’ seat, and even went on to lead by 24.
Phoenix still tried to will themselves back and managed to knock within seven, 82-89, with 4:55 remaining in the game. However, the defending five-time All-Filipino champions’ end-game poise was simply unmatchable.
And that brought another realization to Alas and Co.
“Sabi ko nga sa kanila, ‘We’re facing a national team here’,” said the seasoned bench tactician. “So yung margin of error dito napakaliit, kaso ang laki ng turnovers namin.
“You can’t blink against San Miguel. Bibigay talaga nila sayo yan.
“You cannot give San Miguel a 24-point lead. Yung klaseng team ng San Miguel, it’s huge para mahabol mo. Siguro kung magpapalamang ka diyan ang max, mga 14 lang. Magra-run ka lang pero mafi-figure out din nila agad eventually,” he continued.
Now, Alas and the Fuel Masters have their sights locked on Game Two on Monday. For the veteran mentor, they simply have to go back to their bread-and-butter that is defense to give themselves better chances in equalizing the series.
“Kailangan maglaro kami ng A-game defensively for forty-eight minutes. We thought na kaya namin talunin through shootout, eh walang mananalo sa San Miguel sa PBA through a shootout. They’re the number one offensive team here.
“So yun ang [sasabihin] ko sa kanila (Fuel Masters) tomorrow na nananalo tayo – we’re 9-2 – because of our defense and not because of our offense. Kailangan malaman lang namin ulit kung ano yung identity namin,” Alas concluded.
