PBA: ‘Blackwater is for real,’ says Ginebra coach Tim Cone

Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone draws up a play during a timeout against Blackwater in the PBA Governors’ Cup.–PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines—Barangay Ginebra’s win over Blackwater on Tuesday night didn’t take away the fact that there’s a fast-rising team to watch out for this PBA Governors’ Cup.

Ginebra coach Tim Cone made sure the rest of the league would take notice.

“Blackwater is for real,” said Cone with a sigh of relief after a 112-98 win over the Bossing at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

“They’re a ‘for real’ team, especially now with George King. They have a lot of different weapons and I thought we did a really good job against (Sedrick) Barefield in our first game even though we lost but he got away from us in this game and played really well.”

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George King was brought in as replacement for Ricky Ledo after Blackwater started the season at 0-3. King’s arrival quickly led to a resurgence with the Bossing going on a three-game winning streak that began with a 95-88 stunner over Ginebra last August 30.

King, who had 33 points and 19 rebounds in a triumphant PBA debut in the first encounter against the crowd darlings, drew high praise from Cone.

“I just told him what a great player he was. There were times where he would make his move in front of me and those shots looked impossible. I told him I was marveling at the shots he was able to make,” Cone said on King, who had 21 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists but committed six turnovers in the rematch.

But King isn’t the only reason for Blackwater’s sudden rise with the likes of Troy Rosario and rookie Sedrick Barefield also playing well.

READ: PBA: Ginebra beats Blackwater in rematch on Thompson triple-double

Coach Jeffrey Cariaso, who won eight championships as a key cog for Alaska and four more as assistant for the Purefoods franchise alongside Cone, deserves a lot of credit as well, according to his former longtime mentor.

“Jeffrey’s doing great stuff over there and he has been, even at the last conference. The record’s not always showing it but I think, if you’re a real basketball purist and you can watch what’s going on, the players’ habits and the way they’re playing, you can see that Jeffrey’s doing a truly great job over there,” said Cone.

“I, for one, who had him as a team captain for seven or eight years, I’m real proud of him… Doesn’t mean I want to lose to him though,” he concluded in jest.