Sunday, September 07, 2008 Cebu guns for sweep sans two key players
THE M. Lhuillier-Cebu Niños will start their bid to book the first ever seat to the finals as they play Game 3 of the Smart Liga Pilipinas Playoffs in hostile turf against the Lipa/Batangas Barakos today at the Lipa Convention Center in Lipa City, Batangas.
However, the campaign of the Niños to score another sweep in the playoffs is hampered by the absence of the high-flying swingman Bruce Dacia who will not see action because of an injured leg.
Aside from Dacia, Cebu’s starting forward Marlon Basco is also a doubtful starter in today’s game as the back-to-back best player of Games 1 and 2 in Cebu Coliseum just got out of the hospital last Thursday because of high fever.
“Definitely Bruce (Dacia) could not play because of a calf injury while Marlon (Basco) is doubtful because he just got out of the hospital last Thursday. But that is not a reason. We will play to win, we will play to sweep the series and we will die trying,” said Cebu head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba yesterday.
The Barakos will host Games 3 and 4 and if necessary Game 5 will be back in Cebu.
“We were in this situation before. We played in a very hostile crowd often times. We will go there to play our best game, if possible sweep the series so that we can have time to rest, but if not we will try to wrap it the next game. Everybody (in Lipa) expected us to lose Game 3 but we will not hand them (the win) easily,” said Alcoseba. (RCM)
