SURVIVAL SUNDAY
How Barangay Ginebra rookie RJ Abarrientos plays following death threats—some explicit and some thinly veiled—hurled at him online will be among the subplots on Sunday’s pair of Game 3s that will decide the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quaerterfinals.
The PBA bared on the eve of the doubleheader that it had sought the help of authorities after Abarrientos received death threats for missing a game-tying four-point shot that sealed Ginebra’s 108-104 loss to Meralco in Game 2 at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“We have coordinated with the NBI in order to protect our players from such threats,” commissioner Willie Marcial said in Filipino. Abarrientos had posted screenshots of the threatening comments he said came from dummy accounts in an Instagram story following the defeat.
Ginebra was looking for a four-pointer to tie things up in the final seconds. Justin Brownlee initially had the ball before passing it to Abarrientos, who bungled the shot from the left side and allowed Meralco to avert a sweep and set up a fifth knockout game between the old foes.
Online bashing is no stranger for Abarrientos, who is known for clapping back at netizens eager for their 15 minutes of fame with sarcastic or witty responses.
But this one was no laughing matter.
Ginebra is not only seeking a place in the Final Four, but also avoiding a rare low point for San Miguel Corporation.
The last time no SMC-owned ball club reached the semifinals of a PBA tournament was in 1995 Commissioner’s Cup—30 years ago—when Ginebra failed to make the quarterfinals and San Miguel Beer was eliminated in the said round, according to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III.
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“We wanted to close it out,” said Brownlee. “But like we’ve been saying in years, Meralco is a tough team. We have to get our rhythm back.”
Defense could be the key to progressing, with Meralco hoping to have its main players in import Akil Mitchell, Chris Newsome and Cliff Hodge avoid getting into foul trouble. Ginebra, meanwhile, will look to provide Brownlee more helps as the Bolts train their defense on him, hoping that the likes of Abarrientos, Troy Rosario and Stephen Holt will step up.
Physicality could reach fever pitch in the Converge-Rain or Shine tussle with both teams expected to play with something to prove in Survival Sunday’s curtain raiser.
Rain or Shine likewise forced a do-or-die after a 114-104 win behind 28 points apiece from import Deon Thompson, who avoided foul trouble, and Adrian Nocum, who exhibited some impressive moves that dazzled the crowd.
“We need to step up again in this do-or-die game,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao whose only guarantee came as a joke: “I can assure you, this series will be over on Sunday.”
Converge’s triple towers of import Cheick Diallo, Justin Arana and rookie Justine Baltazar will be out to regain their Game 1 form and secure the franchise’s first-ever semifinal berth.
