Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Barangay Ginebra is still on track to nail a top four berth in the 2019 Governors’ Cup at 5-3 but a blowout loss to Meralco head coach Tim Cone was left to wonder if his team still has what it takes to go all the way.
The Bolts manhandled the Gin Kings, 101-77, Sunday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum and Cone let his team know that a performance as bad as this one won’t do them any good in the future.
“We just didn’t do it tonight so you wonder if we have the trust necessary to go out and win a championship. At this point and after this performance, I don’t think so,” said Cone.
“They beat us black and blue. They beat us in all the phases of the game tonight. We came into the game playing on our reputation and didn’t put the work in. If you don’t put the work in, these are the kind of results you have.”
The Bolts found the mark fairly easily against the Gin Kings with a 52 percent clip and they also dominated the rebounding department, 56-38.
Meralco took a commanding lead early, building a 26-15 buffer at the end of the first quarter before extending it to 28, 60-32, in the third period.
The loss put Ginebra in a fourth-place tie with San Miguel and Cone knows it’s an ideal position be in.
With three games remaining in their schedule, the Gin Kings have to sharpen up if they want to maintain their place in the top four and get a twice-to-beat incentive in the playoffs.
Ginebra’s loss gave Meralco a firm hold of the third spot with a 6-2 mark.
“We don’t like it certainly,” said Cone. “It’s not a good place to be in right now.”