SCHEDULE: 2024 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals
Meralco Bolts coach Luigi Trillo during the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals Game 6 against Ginebra Gin Kings. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Meralco and Ginebra have built a rivalry in the PBA through the past years, but the results of their playoff duels have almost always been the same.
The Bolts and coach Luigi Trillo find themselves in another position to change that.
Meralco set up another thrilling finish against Ginebra, dragging the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals to a deciding Game 7 after a bounce back 86-81 win on Wednesday
“Sana kami naman (hopefully, it’s our turn),” said Trillo. “I said ‘it’s not over’ and this is what we want. Game 7.”
READ: PBA: Meralco foils Ginebra closeout bid, forces semis Game 7
With just one loss away from elimination, Trillo’s wards put their gears on another level to deny the Gin Kings an outright seat in the PBA Finals.
Now with a chance to seal an entry to the All-Filipino Cup Finals against their longtime tormentors, Trillo and the Bolts look to flip the strict on the crowd-darlings.
“Meralco’s a proud franchise led by all these guys and we’ve been there for a while now. We’re used to it but normally we’re on the receiving end,” said Trillo.
“It came to a point where we faced Ginebra seven times, we beat them once but now it’s a privilege for us and we have to go out there and go get it.”
READ: PBA: Trailing 2-1, Ginebra ‘can’t play the same way’ vs Meralco
In the past., Ginebra would always come out on top of Meralco in a playoff series.
The only time Meralco trounced Ginebra was back in 2022, when the Bolts stunned coach Tim Cone and company in the quarterfinals of that year’s Philippine Cup.
Now, the Bolts have a chance to stand up to the mighty San Miguel Beermen in a best-of-seven series in the finale.
“It’s good for the league. I think we’ve (Bolts) earned it. We have a lot of respect for Ginebra in what they do/ We know it’s going to be hard but we’ve been there. In the last eight conferences, we’ve been there for six semis, that’s very hard to do,” Trillo said.
Trillo and the Bolts look to take Game 7 over the Gin Kings at FPJ Arena on Friday at 7:30 pm.