Crunch time at big dome

MANILA, Philippines — Forget about San Miguel Beer’s swashbuckling 2-0 head start. Forget about Magnolia’s roaring strike-back in the next two games.

For the sibling rivals, it’s now a fresh battle for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup diadem.

“Mahaba-haba pa ‘yan, parang best-of-three na ‘yung kakalabasan. Kailangan lang naming magpahinga at matuto sa mistakes namin,” SMB star CJ Perez, the newly-minted Best Player of the Conference, said ahead of today’s tie-breaking Game 5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“This is not over,” Hotshots coach Chito Victolero said. “But we like our chances (now).”

Seemingly one-sided at the beginning on account of SMB’s emphatic 103-95 and 109-85 romps, the titanic titular clash has been transformed into a stalemate by the resilient Hotshots, who countered with 88-80 and 96-85 victories.

Momentum may be on them but Victolero and his defensive-minded wards led by Tyler Bey, Mark Barroca and Paul Lee are under no illusion they now have the proud Beermen by the throat.

“There’s no advantage right now. I know they’re adjusting to our adjustments but I like the effort and the aura of my team. We’re doing well right now offensively and defensively pero hindi ‘yun advantage. We’re still the underdog in this series.”

Magnolia used its trademark defense to climb out of a 0-2 hole and it’s a no-brainer it will stay with it in the 6:15 p.m. match.

“Maganda ‘yung depensa nila sa amin. Kailangan naming mag-adjust,” said SMB giant June Mar Fajardo.