Off to the Championships, again

It was a game where fate lies. The winner will barge early in the championships with a twice-to-beat edge, the loser will try to live out another day.

Both teams are unbeaten. Both are hungry for the crown.

We started looking to have an easy walk for our third game in 4 days, though I would say we never had a solid game for any games we played. We always consider ourselves the underdogs but we always believe that we could somehow make it, together.

But in this game, we feel the pressure off our back. I fielded the players who were not given the playing time yesterday. It was an agreement to give them exposure and the sense of purpose being on the team.

However, if you had watched the game, you could say the gamble (of fielding the bench: Buniel, Tarranza, Calamba, Jusay, & Sanchez) was the best move we had to that game.

The CASS, is never to be willed out. They have the killers outside and the perimeter. And they have good ball movement.

At first, the game was a see-saw battle, with the lead changing many times. Our first five kept the pace and never gave up. My second-quarter five were my starters yesterday. It was hoped that once they entered the court, they could blow the opponent and break the game wide open to our advantage. But it did not happen though. We kept exchanging baskets with the opponent and couldn't get the rhythm of our game. We can't widen the gap and this lasted up to halfway in the third canto.

I put my second stringers back and wished to get some energy from them. It did work. And the last thing we saw, we blew past them by 6-8 points. I kept the lineup up to the crunch time and then fielded back the veterans to control the end game.

With one minute remaining in the game, we were up by ten points. And as I said, the opponent is never to be looked down. They had deadly shooters in the outside that could easily trim down our lead, or worst, surpass it. Luckily for them though, their shots were falling! But it's just that the time was never theirs. They close the game with an 8-0 run, 2 points short of forcing the game to overtime or taking down the lead.

At the buzzer, the scoreboard is flashing 90-88. It was another win on our side.

And now we are waiting whoever we will meet in the finals.

(P.S. Prayers are answered. We ask for a 'victory' today. And it was given.)