Ginebra coach Tim Cone with the Gin Kings during Game 2 of the PBA Finals. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone made sure he would start off by praising Bay Area for the way it was able to successfully execute the adjustments that resulted in a 1-1 tie after two games of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
“They got everything they wanted tonight and we can’t get anything we wanted to do. They did a great job of disrupting,” Cone said after the Gin Kings’ 99-82 loss on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
He immediately turned into playing psychological warfare.
“I thought (Bay Area) coach Brian (Goorjian) did a great job at selling to the press and selling to you guys and everybody else about the calls from last game,” Cone continued, referring to Goorjian’s statements following Game 1 about the officiating which the Dragons tried and able to adjust.
“[He] did a great job of selling it. And we knew we weren’t gonna get any calls—it was like we were the visiting team.”
That jab didn’t mean, however, that Cone isn’t focusing on what the Gin Kings did wrong and what the midseason conference’s guest team did right in Game 2.
Ginebra took Game 1 with import Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, LA Tenorio and Christian Standhardinger making their presence felt with their activity on both ends and offensive efficiency.
But Game 2 saw Brownlee having to carry the load for the Gin Kings, though the Dragons were able to force him to make 12 out of his 28 attempts in order to get his game-high 32 points.
Thompson and Tenorio were slightly less productive this time while Standhardinger had no answer against Bay Area import Andrew Nicholson.
“They made proper adjustments tonight, they really disrupted our offense and we couldn’t get to our spots,” Cone lamented. “[They] did a good job on Justin making him a volume shooter. And they were getting to the rim this time. Last time they didn’t get to the rim. So, it’s a lot to look at.”
And they have plenty of time to look at those concerns, with Game 4 won’t be happening until Jan. 4 at Mall of Asia Arena due to the lengthy break.
“It’s gonna be a fun series. They’re tough,” the Ginebra mentor said. “And one thing we learned tonight, I think that we just started to feel like, we just show up and win, and we can’t do that against this team. This team is way, way, way too good, and too big. They’re too athletic, and they’re too well-coached.
“Let’s see what we can do in Game 3.”