Fight another day

Doing what it does best, Barangay Ginebra climbed out from the depths of what looked like certain defeat on Wednesday night to turn back Magnolia in another classic, 107-103, and avoid being swept in their PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals.

And they also stoked the flames of another great comeback in the best-of-five series.

“We’re happy to be alive and kicking, but that’s not we’re here for,” coach Tim Cone said after the Gin Kings roared back from 19 points down in the first half behind Justin Brownlee to forge a Game 4 slated Friday at Ynares Center in Antipolo. “We’re not here to win [just] one game and take pride in that.

“We’re here to win the series,” Cone went on. “I hope my guys understand that. Winning one game is just pogi points for me. The ultimate goal is winning.”

Brownlee also had 19 rebounds on a night he tied his career-high, and it almost went for naught if not for three missed attempts by the Hotshots in the dying seconds which could have at least necessitated overtime.

Scottie Thompson added 15 points and LA Tenorio 14, counting 11 in the fourth, and the go-ahead floater with 14.1 seconds left that gave the Kings a 105-103 lead and eventually, the psychological edge going into the 7 p.m. match Friday.

“It certainly looked bleak at halftime, we weren’t playing well at all,” Cone said after the Kings went back into the locker room with a 16-point deficit staring them in the eyes. “I didn’t think we would be able to live up to the ‘Never Say Die’ moniker.”

Romeo Travis was held down to a career-low 12 points with Marc Barroca leading all Magnolia shooters with 19 and Paul Lee finishing with 17.

“They beat us twice and we hope to beat them twice,” Cone said after the Kings stayed alive and stayed on course towards duplicating a 2010 feat when they overhauled a 0-2 deficit to win a best-of-five series.

“We were able to sneak this one in, I don’t know how; it wasn’t because of great coaching,” Cone said in deflecting the credit.