Beermen play Kings minus ace

Jayjay Helterbrand yesterday joined the Ginebra Kings in one up-and-down drill then retreated to the sidelines.

His left thigh was still tight and his status still uncertain on the eve of the crucial Game Five of the Ginebra-San Miguel showdown for the Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference championship.

But with or without Helterbrand, the Kings vow to go all out in tonight’s 7 p.m. tiff at the Araneta Coliseum, battling the Beermen for the pivotal 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven title duel.

“With Jayjay healthy or unhealthy, we’ll be there fighting,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.

“There’s no reason to feel down. This is a championship series and we’re tied with San Miguel at two games. We’re not down so it’s anybody’s series,” Uichico said.

Nonetheless, Uichico is hoping that Helterbrand gets well and will be able to play his usual game.

“Everybody knows how valuable Jayjay is to us,” said Uichico of the season’s MVP winner who averages 16.8 points, 5.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds in the finals.

Helterbrand’s hamstring injury recurred in Game Four, forcing him to sit out the closing minutes of the contest won by the Beermen, 106-104.

According to PBA statistics, 68 percent of teams that won Game 5 of a tied best-of-seven series went on to win the championship.

SMB coach Siot Tanquingcen is hopeful of their chances even as he thinks the Kings are getting crucial breaks from the referees.

“I’m not saying they’re being helped. I’m not making that as an excuse either. It’s just a wishful thinking for me, hoping that the referees be more consistent,” said Tanquingcen, moments after Game Four Wednesday.

Uichico, however, believes Tanquingcen was merely playing “mind game” on league officials and referees as the two teams brace for war in Game Five.

“He’s (Tanquingcen) just playing a mind game with the two teams playing a crucial game. It’s been Ginebra, San Miguel, Ginebra then San Miguel again. He must be thinking if the trend continues, it would be Ginebra again in Game Five,” said Uichico.

The finals series stats show San Miguel being called 26.3 fouls a game, compared to Ginebra’s 24.3 an outing. In Game Four, the Beermen drew 28 fouls to the Kings’ 22.

Interestingly, both teams average 100 points in the finals.

The Beermen do better in rebounds and assists but the Kings are better in steals and blocks while also committing fewer errors.

San Miguel average 100 points, 31.3 rebounds, 17.5 assists, 5.0 steals, 3.3 blocks and 18.0 turnovers to Ginebra’s 100 points, 28.0 rebounds, 17.3 assists, 5.3 steals, 3.8 blocks and 17.5 errors.

Five players from each team average in double figures in scoring.

Gabe Freeman tops SMB with 21.8 points a game followed by Jay Washington (16.8), Dondon Hontiveros (14.0), Mike Cortez (11.8) and Jonas Villanueva (11.0).

The leading scorers for Ginebra are David Noel (21.8), Helterbrand (16.8), Ronald Tubid (12.3), Cyrus Baguio (11.3) and Eric Menk (10.3). – Nelson Beltran