Balkman no hard feelings after finals loss: ‘Credit to Ginebra for doing a great job’
Some stories are not meant to have happy endings.
When Renaldo Balkman’s lifetime ban from the PBA got lifted, he was hell bent on shifting his career to new heights and give San Miguel, the franchise he previously played for, another title.
Fresh off a championship with Alab Pilipinas in the ASEAN Basketball League, Balkman had the momentum to lead the Beermen to a second straight PBA Commissioner’s Cup but alas it wasn’t to be.
READ: Santos swallows San Miguel’s ‘painful’ loss to Ginebra
It was Balkman’s Alab teammate Justin Brownlee who got his hands in the Commissioner’s Cup as Ginebra took down San Miguel in six games with a 93-77 win in Game 6.
“It’s all good, it was a hard battle, and they came out with the win, so congratulates to them,” said Balkman Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena. “I’m a little frustrated, of course, I mean you lost a championship game but at the end of the day, we came with a goal but I’m not a sore loser.”
“We give credit to Ginebra for doing a great job. Congratulations to my man Brownlee, B and B, it was well deserved.”
READ: Ginebra dethrones San Miguel, cops PBA Commissioner’s Cup title
Balkman first played for San Miguel, then known as Petron, in the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup and lead the team to a 5-1 start but his life with his new team ended in a snap, or rather a choke.
Balkman and San Miguel have already put what happened in the past and the former New York Knick said he’s willing to become a Beerman once more in the future.
“If I’m available next year, and they want me, of course I have no reason to say no,” said Balkman who had 24 points and 14 rebounds. “If I do it will be another great year for me to come back and redeem myself again.”
“This whole year has been a great year for me. Through the grace of God, He gave me another chance to play basketball again. At my age [34-years-old] I’m still playing at a high level.”
