These three elements are integral components of a team that will be hard to beat.
Brgy. Ginebra displayed all these qualities when the Gin Kings muscled the San Miguel Beermen to submission, 121-103 for a 2-0 lead Sunday before a roaring crowd of PBA fanatics.
One more win and coach Tim Cone and his boys would be happy to sweep the best of five series for its fifth appearance in six finals of the Govs’ Cup.
The Kings were just awesome inside and outside that resident import Justin Brownlee and Christian Standhardinger shared top scoring honors with 32 apiece while MVP Scottie Thompseon registered a triple double of 21 pts., 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
San Migs’ Cameron Clark and company – CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, Moe Tautuaa, Jericho Cruz, Simon Enciso and Vic Manuel – were mesmerized by the Kings’ superior display in firepower, passing and ball distribution that someone lost his cool and shove the high flying, slamdunking Jamie Malonzo but cooler heads prevailed before anything physically undesireable happened.
May napikon yata sa bench ng SMB.
‘JunMar, please come back soon,’ Beermen fans were overheard praying.
Well, Cone is also missing Japhet Aguilar’s services. So, ‘parehas lang,’ a Ginebra supporter crowed.
Coach George Gallent needs to go back to the drawing board.
While Meralco equalized by subduing TNT for a 1-1 tie in their own semifinal duel, Tropang Giga’s chances of securing a finals slot is in jeopardy.
Coach Jojo Lastimosa is quick to explain that the month-long fasting of his import Rondae Hollis Jefferson in observance of Ramadan is not the reason for the latter’s endgame miscues.
RHJ appeared sluggish in TNT’s narrow 117-124 loss to the Bolts. He missed a severaj freethrows, including a critical one in the last 7.6 seconds.
Although he tried very hard to impose his will, RHJ could not contain a resurgent KJ McDaniels who put in 39 markers and 20 huge rebounds.
This was the old KJ that we used to see and watch during his heydays with TNT – aggressive, determined and dominating.
We’re not prejudging Gallent and his gritty Beermen. But how and why did you allow Ginebra to lead by 24 when you have always made life difficult for anyone of your opponents anytime?
SMB literally needs a miracle to get out of the hole it is in.
Come to think of it, and barring unforeseen circumstances, the manner JB and party dominated their sister team in all aspects of the ballgame, It is all over but the shouting. (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
