Brgy. Ginebra shoots for crown
BOCAUE—With the gin—err, bubbly—chilled and multicolored balloons now hanging from the rafters, Barangay Ginebra tries to finally put Meralco away and become just the fourth team in PBA history to repeat as Governors’ Cup champion.
The Gin Kings are sitting on a 3-2 lead but aren’t taking things for granted, going about their usual hard routine Tuesday to make sure that things will be in order for them at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Philippine Arena.
More than 36,000 fans trooped to the cavernous venue on Sunday and rocked the place like crazy, especially when Ginebra broke away in the final 6:25 to turn what was a close game into an authoritative 85-74 triumph Sunday.
Tim Cone did not deviate from the regular hard team workout as he had declared that they would like to play just one more game and close out this series so Ginebra can join San Miguel Beer, San Mig Coffee and Alaska as the only repeat champions of the season-ending conference.
“You have to get the guys ready,” Cone said as Ginebra goes into Game 6 with all the momentum it needs—while likely taking something out of the Bolts.
Meanwhile, the league pays tribute to heroes of the Armed Forces with 25 soldiers who are veterans of the Marawi conflict to watch the game at ringside.
Last season, this series came very close to a rubber match before Justin Brownlee hit a three-pointer at the buzzer that ended Ginebra’s eight-year wait for a championship.
Meralco would surely like to have the chance to come that close again and keep alive the franchise’s quest for a breakthrough championship.
“It’s do-or-die for us and we just have to play our best game to stay alive,” said Meralco’s Norman Black in laying down what has to be done as the Bolts try to salvage this one.
Allen Durham is still the key for Meralco, and the reigning two-time Best Import will see the unfinished business from last year unresolved if he can’t carry his team through this.
