(PBA image)
SAN Miguel Beer carries the momentum of a seven-game winning streak, but coach Leo Austria is keeping his Beermen grounded as they move within reach of a twice-to-beat advantage in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup.
Despite racing to a 7-2 record after dispatching Blackwater, Austria stressed that past victories mean little if SMB fails to take care of business against Terrafirma on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“Hindi namin tinitingnan kung six or seven straight won games kami,” Austria said. “Basta every game we want to win, especially today na this game is not an assurance yet to get into the top four.”
Securing a Top 4 finish — and the valuable twice-to-beat edge in the quarterfinals — is precisely what is at stake for the Beermen against the struggling Dyip, who are mired in an eight-game losing skid and sit at the bottom of the standings with a 1-9 slate.
Austria, however, refuses to underestimate Terrafirma, noting that SMB still has areas to sharpen as it builds toward another title run.
“What we want to happen is to prepare for the playoffs because it’s habit-forming. Kailangan we have to be consistent in what we are doing,” he said.
The Beermen’s margin for error remains slim. After Terrafirma, they still face Meralco in their final elimination game on Sunday. Losses in both outings would drop SMB to 7-4, potentially creating a logjam with teams like NLEX and the Bolts. Under the PBA quotient system, that scenario could even push San Miguel out of the Top 4 and into a twice-to-win disadvantage.
On paper, though, SMB appears locked in. CJ Perez and Don Trollano have been trading big scoring nights, June Mar Fajardo continues to deliver steady double-doubles despite limited minutes, and the rest of the roster has consistently filled in the gaps.
Still, Austria continues to sound the alarm. “I hope na maging consistent itong mga players naming,” he said, determined to ensure that San Miguel’s hot streak translates into postseason advantage rather than a missed opportunity.