Drama sets stage for thrilling Game 7
There was no absence of drama in the PBA Reinforced Conference Finals on Sunday, even after the curtains had fallen on TNT’s 98-90 Game 6 victory that dragged its showdown with Ginebra into a deciding match.
From bigger-than-basketball motivation to a coach getting weary of subplots spun off the series, everything is pointing to a testy and thrilling Game 7 on Wednesday.
Chris McCullough delivered an answer to Justin Brownlee’s big scoring nights, finishing with 53 points and 22 rebounds as he led the Tropang 5G to the series-tying win.
“I think C-Mac just got tired of Justin eating his lunch,” TNT coach Chot Reyes said. “He had another 50-piece today, but C-Mac was able to stay in step with him and I think that’s basically the key.”
A game after dropping 54 in the Gin Kings’ Game 5 victory that put them on the verge of championship glory, Brownlee had another strong outing with 52 points. Only this time, McCullough made sure he kept pace with his counterpart.
But the former San Miguel Beer import said he had more than just matching Brownlee in mind during the Sunday clash.
“My motivation was bigger than basketball,” McCullough said. “It’s the two kids who lost their lives and never got the opportunity to play on the big stage. That’s my motivation.
“It’s bigger than basketball. We dedicate this to the two kids who lost their lives.”
Drowning incident
McCullough was referring to Ateneo players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, who died in a drowning incident during a team-building activity last week.
McCullough also said that he saw the explosive back-and-forth coming even before Game 6 tipped off.
“I called it out before this series started. This’ll be one of the greatest PBA matchups that they’ll ever see,” he told the Inquirer. “I guess we put on a show for everybody but there’s one more thing to do.”
“I knew it was going to happen. The story’s still being told. We got one more thing to do which is to get Game 7. [The] job’s still not finished but hopefully we get it done.”
‘Real tired’
But while the win had experts raving over Tropang 5G’s adjustments following its Game 5 defeat, it left Ginebra coach Tim Cone bristling at suggestions on how both championship protagonists notch victories in the Finals.
“I’m just getting real tired of the idea that when we win it’s always because we got favored by the referees, but when they win it’s always because of good coaching and great plays,” Cone said. “It’s a narrative that’s getting really old and it’s starting to bother me a little bit. I think it’s unfair.”
Instead, Cone pointed to basketball reasons for the defeat.
“McCullough was awesome tonight,” he said. “We challenged him from the outside and he made big shots from the outside, which broke our backs.”
Cone also noted the struggles of key Ginebra guards Scottie Thompson and RJ Abarrientos, who combined to shoot 2-for-18 from the field.
The two teams clash for all the marbles in Game 7 on Wednesday.
