It's Winning Time: Expect Wilson and Ayonayon to Rise in Game 2

While the San Juan Knights are arguably one of the most loaded teams in terms of the depth of their line-up and the amount of firepower at the disposal of Coach Randy Alcantara, the success of the Knights will always boil down to the performance of two of their main men: John Wilson and Mike Ayonayon.

Heading into tonight's important Game Two of the North Division Finals of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), the defending champions, who can grab that seat in the MPBL Finals with a win tonight, will need their main men to lead the charge for the Knights and bring them back to the promised land for the second straight season. And this is something that both Wilson and Ayonayon are more than capable of doing. After all, it was Ayonayon's floater at the buzzer that lifted San Juan in the opener of their semifinal series against the Pampanga Ginat Lanterns. Wilson, on the other hand, went on to score a team-leading 26 points in the Knights' Game Two victory which brought them back to the North Division Finals against the Makati Super Crunch who spoiled a North Finals slugfest between San Juan and the Manila Stars.

However, both John Wilson and Mike Ayonayon were contained in Game One of the North Division Finals and yet, San Juan came out with a 76-60 win which moved them a win away from securing that slot in the MPBL Finals. 

Wilson, one of the best scorers in the MPBL this season, was limited to 11 points on four for 13 field goal shooting while Mike Ayonayon, the reigning Finals MVP, shot five for 13  from the field and finished with 12 points. Both players also finished with a two for five three-point shooting and if wasn't to the Knights' defense in the second half and the big-time performance from Jhonard Clarito who finished with 19 points and 18 rebounds off the bench, it would be the Knights who are facing a 0-1 series deficit heading in tonight's encounter. 

With that mind and with the fact that San Juan can expect a hard-fighting Makati team tonight, it's important that both John Wilson and Mike Ayonayon will be on top of their respective games and it can be expected. Why?

John Wilson, if he brings out his quiver of high-percentage shots, will furthermore cement his case as a potential candidate for the MVP award this season. To begin with, Wilson is, in fact, among the strong candidates for the said award and if he performs well against Makati tonight, that will strengthen his position. On the other hand, Mike Ayonayon, who will join the professional ranks right after his current stint with the Knights, will want to cap off his MPBL stint with another championship under his belt which will strengthen his rotation spot under Coach Yeng Guiao's his new coach in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). And while his rotation spot is virtually secured as he's one of the top incoming freshmen from his draft class- perhaps one of the best, Ayonayon's performance in tonight's Game Two and beyond will be his stepping stone towards securing a good start in his professional career.

In other words, Beaujing Acot will need his best defensive gameplan tonight because it's expected that John Wilson and Mike Ayonayon will lead San Juan to go for the kill tonight. 

Photo is from the San Juan Knights