#LabanSanJuan: Knights faced crunch series with Makati for the North crown

After dispatching Pasay and Pampanga in the minimum for its first two series in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Lakan Playoffs, San Juan faces its biggest test when Makati is looking to flip the bookmakers in the Northern Division Finals.

The reigning national champions will open the best of three series on Monday at the FilOil FlyingV Centre, where they are taking on the upset-conscious vistors from the nation's business capital who just came from their overtime clincher over the second-seed Manila Stars in their semifinal series that went beyond the distance.

However, John Wilson and the Knights are banking on their championship poise, as well as the unbeaten record at home as they are 9-0 heading into their next level of the title defense with their "next-man-up" mentality.

“Last year, may games ako na up and down kaya this season, minotivate ko yung sarili ko na kailangan consistent ako,” he said after they swept Pampanga aside last March 4 with a 91-83 win in their series clincher. 

To him, he has to up his game after losing one of the leaders in Mac Cardona who left the team at the start of the new year.

“Kailangan ko talaga mag step-up as a veteran, kahit ‘di ko makuha yung average ko basta nananalo yung team okay ako,”

This Makati side is different from the Knights have beaten last November 25 in their away game, as the souped-up Super Crunch have endured a coaching change after that, with Pocholo Villanueva's departure paved the way for Beaujing Acot, who masterminded their silencing ways after booting out both Bulacan and Manila on their own floor.

In that do-or-die game 3 in San Andres, Josef Sedurifa came with the biggest shots in the extra session.

“Continue lang namin yung ginagawa namin sa practice na walang magpapatalo, sa ngayon enjoy namin yung panalo namin tapos the next day ensayo diretso. Basta buo kami as a team, tiwala kami sa isa’t isa,” said the former CEU stalwart.

Photo by Harold Biado/San Juan Knights