PBA Finals: Game 5 win key in avoiding ignominy for Cone, Reyes

Winning Game 5 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals could set up a first for Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone and a dubious repeat for TNT counterpart Chot Reyes.

A win at press time at Smart Araneta Coliseum will not only give Ginebra a 3-2 lead, but also two chances for Cone to pull off a first in his decorated coaching career as he has never won a championship after being down 0-2 in the Finals.

Ginebra dropped the first two games of the series before taking Games 3 and 4 to draw level with TNT, which is determined to wrest back the lead and prevent Reyes from getting closer to another title collapse.

Reyes has twice blown a 2-0 lead in the Finals, first in the 2003 All-Filipino Cup when his Coca-Cola Tigers lost four in a row to TNT, and in the 2007 Philippine Cup as mentor of San Miguel Beer, allowing Ginebra to likewise get four straight wins on the way to the crown.

He did, however, avoid a similar trend in the 2011 Philippine Cup, when TNT recovered from dropping two straight to San Miguel before claiming Games 5 and 6 to secure the championship.

Game 6 is set on Friday at the Big Dome. Both coaches have blown a 3-2 championship lead in the past, with Cone in the 2009 Philippine Cup for Alaska against Reyes and TNT, and Reyes in the 2022 Philippine Cup for TNT opposite San Miguel.

Cone thrice battled back from 3-2 down, all with Alaska in the 1995 Governors’ Cup and 1998 All-Filipino Cup—both against San Miguel—and in the 2007 Fiesta Conference versus TNT, and Reyes in that 2009 Philippine Cup title duel with the Aces.

Hot Finals MVP hopes

Meanwhile, the play of Ginebra’s Maverick Ahanmisi and Stephen Holt have put them in Finals MVP conversation as the PBA Press Corps names the winner at the conclusion of the series.

Ahanmisi’s acceptance in taking a reserve role has resulted in good numbers of 12.8 points, seven rebounds and 2.5 assists, while Holt has also put out 12.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals, plus the mammoth task of guarding TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson, both falling short to San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo in the Best Player of the Conference derby, could also be in consideration if Ginebra goes on to win it all. Aguilar has averages of 13.2 points and 6.8 rebounds, while Thompson posted 13.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

TNT’s Calvin Oftana, who hopes to get himself some touches which he admitted was lacking in the Game 4 defeat, may have a chance on the part of the Tropang Giga with averages of 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds, while veteran Jayson Castro has also been solid with 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

Rey Nambatac, RR Pogoy and even Poy Erram may sneak in should they play important parts in at least the last two games of the series as the Finals MVP could sometimes go to the one who gets the pivotal contribution.