SHARP AND DEADLY
In the eyes of Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone, Wednesday’s rout of Rain or Shine marked the first time his Gin Kings played with precision in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup that also meant a piece of league history.
“We haven’t put a good game together this conference, and tonight’s one of those games where everyone came together,” Cone said after the 120-92 win at Ynares Center in Antipolo City that also cemented the Gin Kings’ place in the quarterfinals for a record 47th consecutive conference.
Ginebra improved to 7-4 with a game left against Meralco on Jan. 29 at Smart Araneta Coliseum, needing a win to at least get into the top six and avoid being placed in a twice-to-win scenario.
Led by Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson and Troy Rosario, the Kings atoned for their 91-86 loss last week to the TNT Tropang Giga in a rematch of their Governors’ Cup Finals showdown that dropped Ginebra from second to seventh.
“[This win against Rain or Shine] was our best game of the conference, and it couldn’t come at a better time,” Cone said. “It all came together [for us], and hopefully we can continue that.
“I don’t expect us to play like this all night, but if we keep this kind of focus, we have a good chance of winning games.”
Beating Rain or Shine by never trailing, Ginebra created complications not only in the race for quarterfinal berths, but also the seedings for the top two and the twice-to-beat bonus and the best-of-three slots given to the third to sixth placers after the eliminations.
Converge will be seeking to end the eliminations on a winning note and gain a momentary hold on the solo lead on Friday against San Miguel Beer, still at Ynares in Antipolo at 7:30 p.m.
The FiberXers are currently tied for the lead with the NorthPort Batang Pier at 8-3.
Meralco is tied at 7-3 with guest team Hong Kong Eastern, followed by TNT with a 6-3 record after a shock 117-108 loss to a previously winless Terrafirma.
TNT will look to bounce back and formally secure its place in the quarters also on Friday at 5 p.m. against Phoenix, which is virtually out of playoff contention along with Blackwater being at 3-8.
Desperate Beermen
Ginebra is sixth, while Rain or Shine dropped to seventh at 6-4, with two to play against NLEX on Saturday and TNT on Jan. 31. San Miguel, meanwhile, is in a three-way tie for eighth with NLEX and Magnolia at 4-6.
San Miguel is desperate for a win on Friday evening in a contest that features an intriguing matchup between Beermen star June Mar Fajardo and FiberXers rookie Justine Baltazar.
Ginebra has been on some sort of a roller coaster this conference, opening the eliminations with two straight wins before going 1-2 in its next three games.
After back-to-back victories over sister teams Magnolia and San Miguel Beer, the trend continued for Ginebra with a defeat to NorthPort, a 23-point romp of Blackwater before that setback to TNT.
