Barangay Ginebra eyes quarters advantage against Terrafirma
Games Today
(Ynares Center Antipolo)
3 p.m. 鈥 Blackater vs Magnolia
5:45 p.m. 鈥 Ginebra vs Terrafirma
BARANGAY Ginebra has embraced coach Tim Cone鈥檚 new mantra 鈥 keep on truckin鈥 鈥 fully in tackling a killer schedule in the PBA Governors鈥 Cup.
With admirable resilience, the Gin Kings battled through a grueling slate of three matches over five days last week and came out unscathed en route to 7-2 overall and a legit shot at the coveted quarterfinal incentives for the Top 4 seeds.
Today, Mr. Cone鈥檚 indefatigable troops need to continue the hard labor for a fifth straight game against ousted Terrafirma (2-6) and be rewarded with the sought-for twice-to-beat bonus.
鈥淭hey can smell the blood in the water. I think they鈥檙e ready to go, get that Top 4,鈥 Mr. Cone said ahead of the 5:45 p.m. tiff at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Resuming their campaign last Wednesday following the Gilas Pilipinas stints of Mr. Cone, Justin Brownlee, Jamie Malonzo and Scottie Thompson, the Gin Kings hurdled Meralco (112-107), Phoenix (109-89) and Converge (120-101) one after the other two days apart.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been really crazy for us and the fact that these guys keep finding a way to reach deep, it鈥檚 just amazing,鈥 said Mr. Cone.
鈥淭he guys have responded well and just battle. We just keep on truckin鈥 no matter what鈥檚 going on and keep moving forward. I think it鈥檚 the championship character they鈥檝e developed last conference and they鈥檙e trying to bring it again to this conference.鈥
Mr. Cone doesn鈥檛 expect a breeze, though, against a skidding Dyip side that gave Magnolia hell before yielding in overtime, 115-121.
鈥淲e鈥檙e well aware of that. And they鈥檝e battled us. (Dyip gunner) Juami Tiongson comes out and always kills us in all of our games; he鈥檚 had a couple of career highs against us. And their import (Jordan Williams) is very capable of playing a huge game.
鈥淏ut this is the first time we have a couple of days to prepare for our next game and I think the guys are going to be ready,鈥 he said.
Meanwhile, the Hotshots (6-4) look to reach seven wins and fan hopes for a Top 4 finish in the 3 p.m. curtain raiser against Blackwater (1-9). 鈥 Olmin Leyba
