BARANGAY Ginebra and Bay Area begin their battle for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup title in Game One of the finals on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Gin Kings and the Dragons square off in the series opener on Christmas Day at 5 p.m.
See Scottie Thompson, Justin Brownlee eye another sweep of individual awards
Ginebra and Bay Area go at it in an intriguing match-up with the Gin Kings being the only PBA team left standing against the Dragons who came in to the league as a guest team which is preparing for their upcoming stint in the East Asia Super League.
Head coach Tim Cone said the finals series has national team vibes as they play Hong Kong-based guest team who had steamrolled the opposition going to the finals.
“We are playing for more than just ourselves,” Cone said. “We are playing for more than just Ginebra. We are playing for the league. We are playing for the country. It almost feels like we are a national team which is really cool and a lot of fun for us.”
The Gin Kings entered the finals after beating Magnolia Chicken Timplados, 3-1, in the semifinals. Ginebra goes to the finals winning 11 of its last 13 games.
The Barangay also defeated Bay Area, 111-93, in the eliminations last October 9, but Cone said the finals is a different ballgame.
The Dragons, meanwhile, topped the elimination round and advanced to the finals by taking 10 of its last 12 games including a 3-1 series win over San Miguel.
Bay Area coach Brian Goorjian says he has nothing but respect for Ginebra and its coaching staff led by Cone.
“This is a tremendous basketball team that’s recognized not only in the PBA but internationally as a powerhouse, and No. 2, what Tim Cone has done to this team, what they run, and how they play. Nothing but respect for the opposition,” said Goorjian.
Goorjian will lean on not just their import in Andrew Nicholson but also the locals who have thrived over the course of the conference.
“For the Bay Area Dragons, I’m just proud of the way the Chinese, the youth of our team, have developed over the course of the season and how they’ve improved,” said Goorjian.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
