Rico Maierhofer of Purefoods drives past three Alaska Milk defenders in Friday’s Game 2 of the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Finals at the Araneta Coliseum. The Giants won, 86-85, to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. (Photo by RICHARD VIÑAS)

Games Sunday (Araneta Coliseum)
3:45 p.m. – PWBL
6 p.m. – Alaska vs Purefoods

Even with a 2-0 lead in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Finals, Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio doesn’t feel safe — not against Alaska Milk.

It’s understandable for Gregorio that he wants his Giants to treat Sunday’s 6 p.m. Game 3 of the best-of-seven series at the Araneta Coliseum as if they are the ones trailing the Aces.

“A 2-0 lead? Well, we are definitely happy. But there is no reason to be satisfied,” Gregorio said. “It is not like they are going to throw in the white towel of surrender. No, it is not like that. We still have to come out fighting as if we are down.

“This is the character of this team. We always want to think that we are the underdogs. Somehow we play better that way,” he said.

Purefoods took a big 2-0 advantage in the series via a thrilling 86-85 win Friday night at the Big Dome behind James Yap’s 32 points, including 12 when they rallied back from a 14-point deficit, 64-78, midway in the fourth quarter.

Yap, a strong contender for the Best Player of the Conference (BPC), sparked a ferocious 21-6 blast highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers, before capping Purefoods’ run with a pair of free throws off a Joe Devance foul that gave them a one-point lead, 85-84, with 14.3 seconds remaining.

Devance, fouled by Rafi Reavis, made only one of two foul shots that leveled the score at 85-all with 5.6 seconds to go.

That set up Kerby Raymundo’s game-winning free throw – nailing the first before intentionally missing the second – after a controversial foul called by referee Maui Maurillo on Devance with 1.7 seconds left.

Like in their 81-77 victory in the series opener and Game 2, Gregorio said that they have to fight for every possession and play defense.

The Giants did just that against the Aces, who could only manage 81 points per game, which is below their target of 85 points.

“It is a logical thing for me to say that definitely, we have the momentum on our side. But it is not like the game is over,” Gregorio said.

On offense, Gregorio expects the 6-foot-2 Yap to continue his scoring binge and get able back up from bigman Rafi Reavis, who had 17 points in Game 2, as well as Raymundo, who chipped in 14, point guard Roger Yap, forwards Marc Pingris, and Rico Maierhofer.

As for Alaska, the Tim Cone-mentored squad will have to play tougher defense and execute their vaunted “Triangle offense” better than they did in Game 2 when they blew that 14-point lead.

Expected to step up for the Aces is former two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Willie Miller, who, so far in the series averaged 17.5 points and only scored a single point in the fourth quarter of Game 2 to finish with 12. LA Tenorio, Sonny Thoss, Tony dela Cruz, and Devance are also expected to deliver huge number for the Aces.

Meantime, Steve Racelis, the Alaska fan who was rushed to the St. Luke’s Hospital after experiencing chest pains while watching Game 2 at ringside of the Big Dome, was transferred to the Lourdes Hospital in Manila.

Reports gathered by the Bulletin said Racelis, who is in his early 50s, underwent operation and is now in coma at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).