TIM Cone admitted Magnolia came out with more focus and energy than Barangay Ginebra in their first PBA match up for the season.
Cone on Magnolia vs Ginebra
While he sees the Hotshots playing desperately after initially losing three of their first four games, the Kings appeared not having that sense of urgency that led to their first loss in the Philippine Cup, 89-84, before a sizeable Father’s Day crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“They just played harder than we did for 48 minutes,” said Cone after the game. “We tried to kind of turn it on towards the end or the middle part of the fourth quarter, and got back into the game with some nice shots, but we just didn’t play with a lot of focus or did we match their energy all-game long.
“And when it came down to the last two minutes, they were still playing harder and they were still playing with more energy than we were.”
Cone said Rome Dela Rosa’s three-pointer with 1:45 to play was the game decider as it gave the Hotshots an 89-84 lead after closing within two on a Christian Standhardinger basket.
“We came down and rush the shot and didn’t get into the rim. So that’s the way it is,” added Cone about Ginebra’s play shortly after Magnolia went up by five.
The Barangay Ginebra coach also lamented the team’s failure to take advantage of Magnolia not having key players Paul Lee and Rafi Reavis, and the ejection of Calvin Abueva early in the fourth period.
But he did credit Jio Jalalon for having a good shooting night, one which saw the pesky Magnolia point guard delivered 19 points, including six in the final period.
“We were challenging him to take shots, and he was taking them and making them,” he said of Jalalon.
While it may be a tough loss against a team long considered as the Kings’ rival, Cone is not about to lose sleep about it.
“But this is not the end of all right here. Still early in the conference. We played a tough team tonight that was desperate, they’re the no. 1 seed the last conference, and they’re always all-Filipino finalist. So they’re really a tough team,” said the Ginebra coach
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