BARANGAY Ginebra is eyeing to go tit for tat with San Miguel.
The Gin Kings get another crack at the Beermen in another PBA Philippine Cup semifinals showdown starting on January 4 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ginebra arranged the meeting right after a classic 99-98 overtime win over Converge in the knockout game for a spot in the next round.
READ: Holt trey at the buzzer aids Ginebra's great escape vs Converge
The epic come-from-behind victory should serve the Gin Kings well in their effort to score payback against the defending champions.
In the Season 49 edition of the All-Filipino Cup, Ginebra lost to SMB in seven games of a series that was made memorable by LA Tenorio's game-winning three in Game 6.
"We know them, they know us," said head coach Tim Cone.
"We took them to seven games the last time, so we'll see if we can flip the script this time around. That's what we'll try to do this time, flip the script."
Easier said than done vs. SMB
It won't be easy, though.
"The Beermen are on a 10-game winning streak after starting the conference with a 0-2 record," added Cone.
The run included an 83-81 victory vs. the Gin Kings in Dubai last October in their lone head-to-head encounter in the eliminations.
In the quarterfinals, San Miguel cruised past No. 8 NLEX, 101-94, behind the 20-20 of June Mar Fajardo and became the first team to make the semis.
"We know it's going to be tough," according to Cone.
"We don't play until after the New Year. So we have to think about it, focus on it, and put a game plan all together."
Like its sister squad, though, Ginebra is coming into the semis red-hot, having won its last seven outings, including a pair of do-or-die games against the twice-to-beat FiberXers.
"The fact that we came from dead to the semifinals, we're ecstatic about that," said Cone.
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