GAME TOMORROW
(PhilSports Arena, Pasig)
7:30 p.m. – TNT vs. Ginebra
GINEBRA got back at TNT last Sunday night, thanks mainly to a weapon nowhere to be found in the opening match of the finals—defense.
For Kings coach Tim Cone, his charges simply showed up on the defensive end in their scintillating 71-70 escape over the Tropang Giga in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup title battle.
“We came off a series that, you know, we were allowed pretty much to do anything we wanted offensively and nothing was being really taken away. There was no real gutted-out type of possessions that we had to do,” Cone said. “There were no big plays down the stretch that we had to make and TNT is doing that at Rain or Shine. Every possession is important.
“I just think that coming into the series, especially in our first game and our first quarter, we came out thinking we were just going to be able to do what we wanted and they’re just too tough of a defensive team,” he added.
Game 3 of the race-to-4 series for the mid-season crown is set tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
It was a far cry from the first match—an 89-95 loss to TNT last Friday night and Ginebra just rediscovered its vaunted defense that held the usually fiery Tropang Giga offense to measly four points in the second quarter.
“So, we came back and said, hey, we finished No. 1 in defense this conference. We can turn the tide and bring our own defense to the game,” Cone said. “Did we expect to hold them to four points in the second quarter? No, obviously.”
Before 12,925 wild and roaring fans, the Kings drew strength by making baskets on star import Justin Brownlee and former MVP Scottie Thompson.
Brownlee banged in a game-high 35 points laced with 11 rebounds while Thompson chimed in 16 markers, 12 boards, and seven assists.
Other Ginebra players also did their part, according to Cone.
“But I think a lot of that can be attributed to that we were getting them to rush shots and they weren’t getting open looks,” he said. “Just a real credit to, again, Stephen (Holt) and Jamie (Malonzo) coming out and giving RHJa hard time. Again, it’s just tonight.”
Now knotted at 1-1, the pivotal third tiff will send one combatant halfway through the mission.
