i TV Pinoy

Source: gmanews.tv

-- Sta. Lucia gets a crack at the hottest team in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Friday night as it tangles with San Miguel Beer at the Araneta Coliseum.

Despite losing to the Beermen by a mile in their initial meeting in the eliminations, coach Boyet Fernandez assures his Realtors are coming into the 7:30 p.m. encounter ready and prepared.

“We are ready as always, it’s just a matter of executing our game plan and playing solid defense," he said.

“We can’t afford silly mistakes against a team like San Miguel, meaning we have to play our A-game if we want to entertain thoughts of winning."

San Miguel cruised to an 88-69 win over Sta. Lucia in their Nov. 7 meeting.

Beermen coach Siot Tanquingcen said going up against the Realtors is an entirely new ballgame for his team, which is currently on an eight-game winning streak, a tournament-best, for a second-running 8-2 card.

“We have to execute well offensively because we all know how good a defensive team Sta. Lucia is," said Tanquingcen. “At the same time, we must also be able to defend well and not allow them to make easy shots."

Santos vs Williams

An expected sidelight of the game is the match-up between Arwind Santos and Kelly Williams, the top two players fighting out for the Best Player of the Conference honors.

At the moment, the San Miguel forward is leading the race (38.9 statistical points), with the Fil-Am closely behind with 38.1 SPs.

Santos was a force to reckon with in San Miguel’s last game opposite Burger King, a 100-85 win. The former FEU hotshot had a game-high 27 points, 12 rebounds and blocked six shots to go with four assists and two steals.

In the day’s other game, Barangay Ginebra shoots for its seventh win against Barako Bull.

“We are not in a position to allow them to engage us in a close contest in the end," said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico. “They have been losing close games."

The Energy Boosters have only two wins to show in 10 games, but have been trying hard to pull off surprises. In their last outing against Alaska, the Boosters nearly pulled off another stunning outcome by coming back from a 20-point deficit but lost steam in the end to absorb a 99-88 defeat.

Ginebra beat Barako Bull in the first round (94-86) in a game where it missed the services of Jay-Jay Helterbrand. Cyrus Baguio, however, stepped up against his former team by scoring a game-high 22 points on a superb 8-of-11 shooting from the field.

The Gin Kings are also coming off a victory over Coca-Cola, 113-104, behind Ronald Tubid’s 33 points and the 22 of Baguio.