Neither side is to back down from a fight.
Thrusted into a do-or-die affair, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and the Magnolia Hotshots intend to come out strong and leave everything on the floor as they determine who march on and who take the exit in a knockout tussle at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo Saturday.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. with the winner taking the best-of-five series and securing a PBA Governors' Cup Last Four berth versus titleholder TNT Tropang Giga.
The kill-or-be-killed setto is capping the nip-and-tuck fight between two gritty forces, with Rain or Shine striking in Games 1 (109-105) and 3 (111-106) and Magnolia hitting back in Games 2 (121-69) and 4 (129-100).
Both sides see the decider as a test of character and resiliency for their players.
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"Yung experience of playing a Game 5, of being in a winner-take-all situation, sa akin, kasama na ng build up yun. We're always getting better every playoff game that we played," said ROS coach Yeng Guiao, welcoming the test for his young wards.
One-game-to-two down going to Game 4, the Hotshots passed their initial test with flying colors and even minus the injury-hit Zav Lucero.
"(I'm) thankful to the players because of the mindset and the focus. Nandoon sa board ko sa pregame, it's all about believing. In order for us to win the war, we need to grind for 53 minutes. I think my players were so focused and they wanted to have another chance," said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.
The possible return of Lucero would give Magnolia big additional muscles and teeth in an expected furious showdown.
But it could be a test of will and determination, with the team which would be able impose itself on the other likely to have the last say.
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And it's likely to be a more physical battle.
"Kailangan mas prepared kami for a very physical game," said Guiao, noting how the Hotshots played physically in the previous game.
"On our end, siguro kailangan kaming mag step up in terms of being a little bit more aggressive defensively and medyo yung transition game namin, yung running game namin, I don't know if we're tired or we're a little slower or not able to get into the pace that we would usually be playing."(SB)
