Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings’ Scottie Thompson during a game within the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals vs Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Barangay Ginebra can have tied its PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series with Rain or Shine on Friday, but the group favorites know that they haven’t imposed their character on this series just yet.
Especially against a team which, in Scottie Thompson’s mind, looks like a mirror image of the Gin Kings.
“May dugo din silang ‘never say die,’ (in addition they have that never say die blood)” Thompson said after Ginebra’s 109-101 win at Mall of Asia Arena that square their best-of-seven duel because the Gin Kings bounced back from squandering a 10-point lead two nights ago in Antipolo.
Coach Tim Cone was convinced after that 115-111 defeat that Ginebra is playing Rain or Shine’s uptempo, free-flowing style. He didn’t change his tune even after getting on the board.
So will Cone and the Gin Kings buy time to make a 180-degree turn, or do it as quickly as possible?
“It really comes right down to the energy war,” Cone said. “We don’t need to play a break-neck pace and wear our guys down because our guys play numerous minutes than their guys do. We now have to take heed to that and that dictates what our gameplan’s all about.
“At once, in case you ask me, if I actually have to be honest with you which ones I don’t prefer to be,” he continued before taking some long pauses. “I believe the pace and the best way the sport’s being played is at Rain or Shine’s favor at this point.
“And even when it’s at 1-1, we have now to figure it out.”
Game 3 is ready Sunday at the identical venue, as Ginebra hopes to make key adjustments in a brief period of time to establish a possible shift to its profit.
Cone can be glad to see his big guns deliver, like Justin Brownlee who erupted for 31 points on the night he played his 270th game, tying Sean Chambers—also a Cone import at defunct Alaska—for second on the all-time list amongst imports.
RJ Abarrientos also played big for the Gin Kings and finished with 25 points and 6 assists, although his status for Game 3 could rely on how well he can get well from a broken nose he suffered from an inadvertent hit from Jhonard Clarito within the fourth quarter.
Abarrientos assured that he’s going to be good to go, hoping to assist the Gin Kings solve the Elasto Painters puzzle.
“We want to match Rain or Shine’s tempo. We will’t allow them to play their game,” Abarrientos said.
Meanwhile, TNT’s probabilities of going further within the playoffs took an enormous blow when import Bol Bol was carried to the locker room during Game 2 of the opposite semis series with Meralco being played at press time.
A TV report said that the Tropang 5G were fearing a possible Achilles injury on Bol, the much-talked figure through the course of the midseason tournament.