ANTIPOLO City – There’s no harm in trying - again. That's why Allen Durham looks forward to a third meeting with Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Governors Cup Finals.
The Bolts sealed another showdown with the Kings for the season-ending crown after knocking out KJ McDaniels and the TnT Katropa in their do-or-die encounter on Monday night, 89-78, at the Ynares Center.
The Kings had the Bolts’ number, sweeping their first two finals encounters including their 2017 meeting that went the full route, including a blockbuster Game 7 at the Philippine Arena that drew an all-time record crowd of 54,086.
But the entry of Raymund Almazan, Allein Maliksi, John Pinto, and rookie Bong Quinto gave Durham the belief the Bolts have a better chance of competing mano-a-mano against the Kings.
In his very own words, the Kings are a better match-up for the Bolts.
“I think we’ll be able to use Almazan a little bit more against a bigger team (Ginebra). So I think we match up pretty good, I’m excited for this match up,” said Durham, who dropped 28 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists in the clinching win against the Katropa.
A loss by both Ginebra and Meralco in the semifinals of the same conference last season denied them of a third straight meeting. The Kings fell to eventual champion Magnolia while the Bolts were ambushed by Best Import Mike Harris and the Alaska Aces.
Now both are back dancing in the big stage.
“It’s definitely feels good to be back. It’s kind of weird last year not being there. So I’m happy that we’re back,” said Durham. “We’re going to enjoy tonight, enjoy Christmas, and then go back to work.”
The two-time Best Import, who obviously got the better of his match up with TnT’s KJ McDaniels in the semis, will be up against an old, familiar rival in Justine Brownlee in the title series, a return meeting which Durham is looking forward to.
“It’s going to be fun. As a competitor, you always want to play against the best, and he has shown that he’s one of the best imports in the PBA year after year, so definitely it’s going to be a battle.”
For all the drama provided by those two previous finals meeting, Durham doesn’t see yet a budding rivalry between the Bolts and the Kings.
“Not yet. We’ve got to win a championship first, and then we’ll become a rival,” said Durham.
Certainly, that’s the first order of the day for Durham and the Bolts.
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