#LabanSanJuan: Knights' poise in full display after sweep of Pampanga

After their series opening win last February 28, San Juan expects that Pampanga will be going all out and leave it on the floor for game two.

"Before the start ng game, sabi ko mas didiin yan," said Knights skipper John Wilson after their 91-83 win over the Giant Lanterns to get back to the Northern Division Finals last Wednesday.

With a roster stacked both with talent and muscle, the veteran sharpshooter knows the ins and outs of Pampanga's extreme physicality in full display, knowing that they have to get even to force sudden death by any means possible.

"Desperate na yan going into game 2. So kung kelangan mas madiin tayo."

With that, the Knights went straight back to work, and being a leader means Wilson have known their tendencies all too well.

"Yung mental composure going to the game, yung team defense and the tendency ng bawat player dapat alam natin para di tayo naliligaw."

But what makes them being calm under pressure after getting cheap shots all over the game? It's all in the mind.

"After ng game 1, practice pa lang sabi namin mananakit yan," he added. "Nagremind ako, it's about mental yung game na ito."

Player of the game Jhonard Clarito leads the call of Wilson for the entire game, as he kept his cool head in the third despite bearing the brunt of that unsportsmanlike elbow of Reil Cervantes that caused the heated commotion.

"Kung mainit din ako, eh wala na," he said after his double-double performance.

Safe to say, the Knights went to war and came out unscathed.

And either of Manila or Makati should take note of it come the North finals.

Photo by Harold Biado/San Juan Knights