Jude P. Roque

side and outside the paint because of their scoring prowess. And of all the teams, Ginebra seems to have the best chance in upending SMB because of its deep and star-studded line-up. But seven-foot center Greg Slaughter was on and off the court in this tournament due to injuries. He missed Game 1 of the semis, and it’s still uncertain if he could suit up anytime soon. A Cebuano like June Mar, Greg could’ve been the answer to the Fajardo riddle. Slaughter is an inch taller than Fajardo with almost the same heft. He could match-up with June Mar one-on-one and the rest of the Gin Kings can cover the outside gunners of SMB. Cone’s job would’ve been a lot easier, and Ginebra would’ve had more than a Chinaman’s chance of downing the mighty Beermen.

But until Slaughter makes his return to the hard court, Cone will have to dig deeper into his bag of tricks to pull one over SMB. TNT fared better against SMB in the quarterfinal game even when Fajardo did a lot of damage inside the shaded lane. Ka Tropa was only down by five points entering the fourth period. But the Beermen converted on a number of tough shots that finally broke the back of TNT in the last few minutes to escape with the 10693 triumph. SMB shot just 7- of19 from downtown.

Should Cone now gamble with a single- coverage defense on June Mar? It could work. But then again, that’s easier said than done. Cone is a brilliant bench tactician who can come out with creative ways to win. But so is SMB coach Leo Austria, who has steered the Beermen to the last three PBA All-Filipino championships. As it is right now, SMB seems likely to barge into the finals. Things could change however if Slaughter is given the green light to see action in the semis. Of course, it’s also a matter of how fit and healthy Greg is when he makes his comeback. Is he ready to face off with a familiar adversary – Fajardo, the Big Difference?