Cliff Hodge (No. 7) says that Meralco must treat Game 4 like Game 7. — PBA PICTURE
Meralco will enter the fourth game of the PBA Governors Cup Finals against defending champion Barangay Ginebra, thanks to a brave third-game win last Sunday that gave the Bolts a 2-1 lead.
But having seen this movie before, Bolts knows that’s it all – a psychological aspect.
Cliff Hodge should know. Meralco’s biggest hero in Game 3 still has memories he can’t fade — memories from the 2016 championship game against Gin Kings, when the Bolts led a similar series.
“I wouldn’t even lie… it’s not something that will never go away from your head,” Hodge said of the lingering bitterness. “Leading 2-1 and then going into the fourth half where we were close to going 3-1? It completely changed the story [that] they won that game, so that game is always behind the [my] care.”
But this is the fourth installment in his team’s story with the Gin Kings, Norman Black feels it’s important to let go of the past, and he has advice for the likes of Hodge, who are yet to give up. cancel.
“Just live in the moment,” says the seasoned mentor. “[I]n this business, you can’t really live in the past. [You] just have to live with what’s going on right now. ”
What’s going on right now is that Black’s Bolts are playing defense as best they can, as they limited the Kings to just 26 points in the second half of Game 3.
Meralco needed to make sure the defense was back on track and, according to Hodge tirelessly, treat the 6pm game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum as a duel with no tomorrow.
“We’re going to treat this like game 7, trying to win,” Hodge said. “Let’s put our bodies, our lives and just try to do whatever we can to win.”
Meralco knows Game 4 will have no shortage of motivating kings in relation to Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson expected to be crowned Best Importer and Best Player of the Conference (BPC) respectively before end.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone is still reeling from his club’s loss, but he hopes that two days has been enough time for his kings to regroup and recalibrate.
“We had our chance,” he told the Inquirer. “But [the Bolts] just harder and better at stretching. We hope that the break between matches will help us get over the disappointment and we can focus on Game 4.” INQ
Continue reading
Registration INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer and more than 70 other titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to news, download as early as 4am and share media articles society. Call 896 6000.
For feedback, complaints or enquiries, Contact us.
