DESPITE winning their last three games, Ginebra coach Tim Cone won’t stop in telling his charges not to let their guards down.
What gnaws at Cone is the possibility of the Kings falling into the traps of complacency especially after a 12-day break.
“It’s gonna be hard not to be too high because of the comeback, the NSD. . . we have to be careful,” Cone said after the Kings eked out a nail-biting 97-96 escape over San Miguel Beer last Nov. 6. “It’s gonna be tough for us but as long as these guys come to practice every day and work then I think they can get the momentum going.
“When you get kampante and you relax, that’s when you lose your momentum,” he added.
Ginebra’s resolve will be tested anew when it battles Blackwater today in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The match is set at 5:45 p.m., with the Kings seeking to extend their winning run to four and boost their hold on fourth.
NLEX tries to halt a four-game losing skid when it squares off with hapless Terrafirma in the curtain-raiser at 3 o’clock.
Cone, returning after serving as an assistant coach to Chot Reyes in the Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers last week, will bank on import Justin Brownlee, reigning MVP Scottie Thompson, LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Nards Pinto, Jamie Malonzo, and Stanley Pringle in a bid to improve their 5-2 mark.
The Bossing have lost four in a row, counting a 98-102 defeat to Meralco seven days ago.
Reinforcement Cameron Krutwig, Rey Suerte, Ato Ular, Rashwan McCarthy, and Gab Banal will spearhead Blackwater’s charge to improve its 3-7 slate.
The Road Warriors are raring to make up for an embarrassing 98-118 setback at the hands of foreign guest team Bay Area last Sunday.
With a 3-6 record, NLEX will pin its hopes on import Earl Clark, Don Trollano, Kevin Alas, Justin Chua, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser.
The Dyip are winless in nine outings in the mid-season tourney and 0-25 overall dating back to last season’s Governors Cup.
