Down 3-2, Balkman unfazed ahead of Game 6: ‘Don’t count us out’
San Miguel’s Beer run just hit a roadblock and one wrong step could jeopardize its title retention bid in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
After the Beermen crushed Barangay Ginebra with two straight wins in Games 2 and 3, the defending champions suffered the same predicament and lost twice to the Gin Kings dropping to a 3-2 deficit.
The Beermen’s 87-83 Game 5 loss was the first match in the whole series that wasn’t a blowout after the first four games were decided by at least 25 points, but it didn’t mean San Miguel’s morale took a backbreaking hit.
Import Renaldo Balkman is unfazed of the situation and he vowed that the Beermen would lift the title after Game 7.
“It’s not over yet, you can say whatever you want but it’s not over yet,” said Balkman Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “We win as a team, we lose as a team, and we’re going to play the game. It’s 3-2, we’re in the finals, and it’s a championship game right now.”
“It’s seven games for a championship, we have to go to a Game 7.”
Balkman was stellar for San Miguel with 34 points and 20 rebounds but was the victim of controversial non-calls in the final minute.
The Puerto Rican appeared to have gotten contact with Ginebra center Greg Slaughter when he went up for a shot with San Miguel up 83-82.
“Last three minutes you get no calls at all? That’s wild. That’s the wildest thing I’ve seen in my life,” said Balkman, who vowed that San Miguel wouldn’t stop until Ginebra has won four games.
“They got to beat us one more time then we’ll call it quits. Lucky, we have one more chance at Game 7, I mean it’s not over yet. Don’t count us out.”
