Justin Brownlee (with ball) and Ginebra hope to book their Finals ticket on Saturday. —MARLO CUETO
Tim Cone is fully aware that recent history isn’t on his and Barangay Ginebra’s side as they fight to complete off Rain or Shine of their emotional PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series.
Game 6 suggestions off at 5:15 p.m. on Sunday on the Ynares Center in Antipolo, with the Gin Kings needing just yet another win to get back to the Finals.
Ginebra gained a 3-2 lead two nights ago with a 111-104 victory behind a terrific shooting display led by RJ Abarrientos, but Cone refused to get comfortable with the advantage.
“We’ve been in this case a few times in a better of seven,” Cone said. “We led 3-2 after which got beaten each times.”
Cone and the Gin Kings squandered that edge twice of the last 3 times he was in that position: First within the 2024 Philippine Cup semifinals against the rival Meralco Bolts and within the 2024-25 Commissioner’s Cup Finals against TNT.
Speaking of TNT, it is going to also seek a spot within the championship round at 7:30 p.m. against Meralco.
The one time in that period Ginebra got the job done was throughout the 2024 Governors’ Cup semifinals against sister team San Miguel Beer.
Also attached to Cone’s decorated profession is the same blown probability back within the 2008-09 Philippine Cup Finals with Alaska against TNT.
That’s why Cone refuses to have any sense of confidence that Ginebra has put Rain or Shine in a difficult situation.
“It’s too easy to get euphoric with a 3-2 lead and think ‘Oh, you’re right there.’ You’re not,” he said. “We’ve got quite a lot of work to do. Quite a lot of things went our way [in Game 5], which is great. I mean, we’re fortunate.
“But we’ve got to maneuver on and be locked in,” he added.
There’s quite a lot of drama occurring within the series, adding to the interest within the showdown between two teams, which have engaged one another in verbal spats and heated exchanges.
After the fireworks between Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao and San Miguel Corporation sports director Alfrancis Chua, tensions continued at the top of Game 5 when Elasto Painters import Jaylen Johnson got into Ginebra team manager Reyboy Rodriguez and hardly used center Raymond Aguilar.
Abarrientos played an enormous role for the Gin Kings with 31 points, after he was held in check in Game 4 and scored just eight on 3-of-8 from the sphere.
The frontrunner for the Best Player of the Conference went 12-of-21 from the sphere with 4 three pointers and made his only attempt from 4. He also dished out eight assists and stole the ball twice.
“The coaches told me that I would like to work on every part,” the sophomore said. “Rain or Shine’s just denying me, bumping me on a regular basis. So I just have to work on the things that I would like so I can get open and be involved on each offense and defense.” INQ