Devance on Ginebra-Meralco rivalry: ‘We hate each other’

PBA IMAGES

Ask, and you shall receive.

That’s exactly what Joe Devance has to say for Jared Dillinger as Ginebra and Meralco meet for the second straight time in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.

Channelling his inner pro wrestler, the Gin Kings forward only has one thing in mind in response to the Bolts slasher being repeatedly vocal in his desire to have the rematch.

“I’m a heel,” Devance said, alluding to the pro wrestling parlance of a bad guy.

“I’m gonna hit Dillinger. I’m gonna punch him right in the stomach,” he joked.

Devance knows that as much trash talk players from both teams fire on social media, they are all aware that it’s all fun and games as they all look forward to silencing each other on the court.

“I’m just playing. You know, it’s all in good fun, good sportsmanship. You know it’s competitiveness. You know we’re just gonna come out and fight, whatever team wants it more is gonna get it,” he said, sharing that he’s good friends with a lot of Fil-Am players on the other camp.

Meralco has been aching to get back at Ginebra after its runner-up finish in last year’s Governors’ Cup Finals, where it lost in heartbreaking fashion in Game 6.

Devance knows how motivated the Bolts will be, and is hoping that emotions won’t spill out of the court just like what happened in the Gin Kings’ semifinals series against TNT.

Being the last two teams standing from the rival companies, Devance admitted there’s bad blood between Ginebra and Meralco.

“I don’t want to say we hate each other, but we hate each other. I mean with MVP and Mr. Ang, it’s just how it is,” he said.

“If we thought [the TNT series] is gonna be a battle, this next series is going to be a battle. We’re full aware of the challenges that they’re gonna present to us, so we’ll see what happens.”