Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone during a game against NorthPort Batang Pier in the 2024-2025 PBA Commissioner’s Cup. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—A frustrated Tim Cone appeared in front of the media after Ginebra’s heartbreaking loss at the hands of Northport that ended the Batang Pier’s long drought against the crowd darlings.
In the PBA Commissioner’s Cup action on Wednesday, Northport shook the monkey that’s been on its back for five years and defeated the Gin Kings, 119-116, in an absolute nail-biter.
READ: PBA: NorthPort beats Ginebra for the first time in five years
Though Ginebra had numerous chances to chase Northport, Cone knew the game became well out of reach after a slow start.
“We started flat because they came out ready. We tried to make a run at the end but as I told the team, it never should’ve gotten to that. We should’ve played better from the start,” said Cone after Ginebra dropped to a 5-3 card.
They played really well. They gave our defense some fits all game. They are for real. We had problems stopping them.”
Players of Barangay Ginebra during a game against NorthPort Batang Pier in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.net
READ: PBA: Ready for battle, Joshua Munzon leads Northport upset of Ginebra
Northport led by as much as 18 points in the second half, 94-76, before the Gin Kings displayed their “Never Say Die” spirit in front of a rowdy Ginebra-dominated crowd in Pasig.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t close out their tremendous comeback rally, not even with Justin Brownlee’s double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds.
The combined efforts of Scottie Thompson, RJ Abarrientos and Troy Rosario, who all scored 17, also weren’t enough to pull the rug from underneath Northport, which is now with a dominant 7-1 card.
It certainly didn’t help Ginebra’s cause that the Batang Pier stars were firing on all cylinders, particularly the troika of import Kadeem Jack, Joshua Munzon and Arvin Tolentino.
“Munzon and Arvin are both playing at MVP levels. Their import’s a great fit. There’s nothing that we could’ve done to stop them tonight,” Cone said.
Jack finished with a monster double-double of 32 points and 16 rebounds, Joshua Munzon registered 29 points and even if Tolentino fouled out in the dying moments of the game, he still came out with a bang to the tune of 29 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Following the Ginebra loss, Cone was also mum on Kai Sotto’s state with the Gilas Pilipinas squad after the Japanese B.League Filipino import suffered a torn ACL over the weekend.