The numbers that jump out on you from Game 2 of the Ginebra-Star series are the bench points: Star’s bench contributed 45 points to just 16 by Ginebra.
This doesn’t immediately mean that Ginebra’s bench is shallower or can produce less numbers than the reserves of Star. It simply means that the
2-0 lead of the Hotshots in the series has been carved with Ginebra having to contend with so many weapons.
(Ginebra beat Star Monday, 73-62, to cut the deficit to 2-1.)
Star’s winning ways, now stretching into eight straight games, has been forged by defense and a multilayered attack. The guards have been producing the expected numbers: Paul Lee has been averaging 17.5 points in the series and has been Best Player in both games while Justin Melton, Jio Jalalon, Allain Maliksi and Mark Barroca have contributed substantially.
Star’s frontline is also in the thick of the battle with Marc Pingris hauling down at least 10 rebounds in the first two games and Ian Sangalang and Raffi Reavis also picking up boards and chipping in points. Reavis delivered the key pressure-packed free throws in the end game when Ginebra was threatening to tie the series.
You can point to the fatigue that could be hounding Ginebra, given that the Barangay has had no rest since bouncing back from a twice-to-beat handicap against Alaska.
In the semifinals, LA Tenorio has played large chunks of minutes so far, 40 in Game 1 and almost 37 in Game 2. But Ginebra needs Tenorio’s floor leadership and the team does not flow as well when the “Lieutenant” is on the bench.
The absence of the injured Joe Devance has also told on Ginebra and the team does miss his close to 12 points and six rebounds per game.
So the predictable basketball phrase for Ginebra is to “step up” in the series to be able to avoid getting into a difficult three-game hole against a team that is getting production from various sources.
The fatigue is there but there’s too much at stake in their rivalry forged and fueled over three decades now. Ginebra’s work will be on the defensive end, contending with the reality that in this grind out series, winning does not come easy with one furious rally or a few three-point explosions.