For Marcio Lassiter, chemistry will spell wonders for the San Miguel Beermen’s bid to secure their fourth straight Philippine Cup championship.
This comes after the history-seeking Beermen moved just two games away from clinching a fourth title, as they dismantled the Magnolia Hotshots, 111-86, on the night of Easter Sunday at a packed SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“You know, experience helps. I just think it’s our chemistry,” said Lassiter, who top-billed for SMB with 24 points along with six rebounds and five steals.
“We have so much chemistry with one another. We’ve been playing for a while.”
Their chemistry was on full display in Game Three, as they had 19 assists. Moreover, the famed starters made their presence felt: June Mar Fajardo had 21 points and 17 rebounds, while Chris Ross and Arwind Santos had 14 apiece.
“That’s our style of play. We’ve been doing it for awhile,” said the six-foot-two sniper. “When our shots are going and our defense goes on, it’s just pretty tough to guard.
“We know we’re capable of doing that every night.”
But aside from the star five, it was the bench mob that made wonders in the victory — they contributed 33 points to their total, and their impact was strongly felt especially in the final frame, as they helped in the game-sealing 17-3 run.
“The bench played tremendous tonight. They gave us a lot of energy,” the 30-year-old said.
The Beermen are now in position to post a commanding 3-1 lead in the race-to-four series in Game Four, and for Lassiter, they’re looking at Wednesday’s game as a crucial one, since a victory will bring them within grasp of history.
“This is crucial,” he said. “This is a pivotal game for us… But we know that if we play the same way we played tonight, given the effort, the energy, the defense, the shots, we can have a good [chance] going into Game Four.”
