Fatigue catches up as Ginebra yields to Changwon in tune-up game

After the tune up game between Ginebra Gin Kings and Changwon LG Sakers. Photo by Bong Lozada

MANILA, Philippines—Barangay Ginebra fell prey to Korean club Changwon, 100-90, in a tuneup game ahead of the 2019PBA Governors’ Cup at Upper Deck Sports Center Friday.

The LG Sakers, who had former Gin Kings import Vernon Macklin on their roster, went on a 19-6 run to close the game out that nearly went into Ginebra’s favor early in the fourth.

Ginebra started off the fourth frame hitting going on a 12-0 run to get to an 81-all tie but Jung Joon Won and Macklin countered back with the 6-foot-10 former import converting on a three-point play for Changwon’s 86-81 lead.

Prince Caperal and Mark Caguioa exchanged jumpers to trim the deficit to one, 86-85, but Joon Won converted a three-point play and big man Cady Lalanne jammed one home to give the Sakers the momentum once more and the 91-85 lead.

Ginebra head coach Tim Cone said fatigue caught up to his team in the fourth quarter since the Gin Kings did a twice-a-day practice on Thursday.

“We’ve been practicing hard all week and Justin [Brownlee] was complaining about his legs even before the game started because of the twice-a-day practice but we did that on purpose and I wanted our guys to come out and play under duress,” said Cone.

Despite the loss, Cone liked what he saw from the Gin Kings and the exhibition game allowed them to get better chemistry and execute some schemes several weeks before the start of the third conference.

“I hate losing, I don’t care what it is but in some ways we won that game in terms of we got to do things we wanted to do and for us that was a win.”

Lalanne led the Sakers with 24 points while Joon Won added 10, all of which were in the final quarter.

Brownlee had 20 points to lead the Gin Kings while Prince Caperal and LA Tenorio added 16 and 14 points, respectively.

The two teams will still meet on Tuesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum in a game dubbed Asian Showdown 2 and would be free to the public courtesy of LG Philippines.