GINEBRA trounced NorthPort 122-105 last Sunday night and boosted its chances of gaining a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
While the win-once incentive is a coveted edge in the playoffs, Kings coach Tim Cone insisted his charges’ sights are trained on getting better as a team in their title bid in the mid-season tourney.
“We’re just happy we still have something to fight for at this point. It’s a goal of ours but we’re just really trying to approach these games and play these games,” Come said. “Same in practice, just trying to be better at what we’re doing.
“It’s new to a lot of players so it’s a process. So, we’re more focused on the process than the goal itself,” he added.
Import Justin Brownlee went one assist shy of a triple-double with a game-high 31 points, to go with 13 rebounds, and nine dimes for Ginebra, while high-flying forward and former Batang Pier Jamie Malonzo wound up with a career-best 26 markers laced with three boards and two feeds.
Jeremiah Gray also had 12 and four, while reigning MVP Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar, who was feted at halftime as a new member of the league’s 1,000-offensive rebound club, combined for 15 points for the Kings.
The win atoned for Ginebra’s sorry 117-120 overtime loss to NLEX last Friday and raised its mark to 8-3 in a tie with Converge.
NorthPort, coming off a 112-97 triumph over the FiberXers nine days ago, finished the eliminations with a 6-6 slate.
Cone said Ginebra no longer has control of its fate after the defeat to the Road Warriors.
“Right now, we don’t have control of our destiny. We have to win (against Converge) to be in the top two. We’re not even gonna focus on the top two at this point,” Cone said.
“We opened the door last Friday when we lost to NLEX, and Magnolia stormed to that door. We wanna control the things we have.”
Former King Arvin Tolentino paced the Batang Pier with 24 points and six caroms, while reinforcement Prince Ibeh added 23 markers and 13 rebounds.
