For Arwind Santos, San Miguel has seen far more physical teams to be threatened by the level of intensity NLEX showed on Friday.
"I am confident na di kami matitinag sa physicality kasi ang dami na naming pinagdaanan," he said after the Beermen stayed unscathed in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup with a 109-98 victory over the Road Warriors.
Emotions were turned up a notch in the fourth quarter as NLEX gave San Miguel all it could handle and even saw Chris Ross and Michael Miranda hit the showers early.
But it's not as if this is the Beermen's first run in the rodeo as Santos name-checked rival Alaska as one of the toughest opponents this squad has ever braced for.
"Kung pisikalan lang, naaalala ko lagi yung Alaska kasi yun ang pinakapisikal na na-experience namin. Ilang beses namin silang nakaharap at alam natin si Calvin (Abueva) kung gaano siya ka-desidido sa pisikalan," said the 2013 PBA MVP.
Sponsored content:
"Hindi na bago sa amin yan at alam kong kaya naming i-handle yun. Kumpyansa ako sa mga kasama ko na di kami matitinag sa ganoong klase ng physicality, lalo na't mabigat ang goal namin ngayon."
That's exactly the reason that San Miguel did not press the panic button even when NLEX took a 58-49 halftime lead and fought on the defensive in the second half.
Seemingly getting their act together, the Beermen woke up from their slumber and unleashed a second half performance to remember as everyone clicked to get back in the game and eventually, the victory.
Santos was all over the floor for San Miguel, finishing with 26 points on a 5-of-12 shooting from threes, to go with 13 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks. He also delivered the dagger triples to seal the game shut in the clutch.
At 4-0, the Beermen remain as the lone unbeaten team this conference, further highlighting their claim as the undisputed team-to-beat.
Santos, however, said that the team isn't getting too far ahead of itself as it focuses on the present rather than the bigger picture.
Sponsored content:
"Pinapangalagaan lang namin yung pinapakita namin every game kasi one game at a time ang mentality namin. Di namin tinitignan na sinasabi nilang malakas kami, kahit alam naming kaya namin itaas, o kaya naming talunin, tatalunin namin ng ganoong kadali. Kailangang dumaan kami sa tamang proseso," he said.
"Kung sino yung makakaharap namin, paghahandaan namin hanggang makarating kami sa dulo. Yun lang ang mentality namin." (DL)
