GINEBRA rookie Kevin Ferrer is refusing to get affected by a brewing psychological war with San Miguel Beer in the middle of the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup Finals that shifts to Game Four on Friday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Gin Kings rookie forward and SMB star counterpart Arwind Santos engaged each other in trash talk late in Game Three, with the Beermen getting the last laugh as they pulled away late for a 99-88 win and a 2-1 lead in the series.
The former University of Santo Tomas star later vowed payback.
“Okay lang kahit anong gawin nila (na psy war), basta stick together kami,” Ferrer said after the game. "Pagpaplanuhan namin sila, pagbabayaran nila kung ano mang mga ginawa nila.”
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The blossoming freshman, who fired 15 points, including 10 in the payoff period, also took offense to Chris Ross for taking a late three-pointer with the game all but settled.
“Alam naman ng lahat ng players or team na pag ganun, na kapag wala na ngang depensa, lamang na sila, titira pa rin sila, parang di rin kami nirerespeto,” Ferrer said.
Ferrer, however, also lamented his team’s lack of killer’s instinct in Game Three where they went scoreless in the last four minutes and allowed the Beermen to score 12 unanswered points to close the game.
“Medyo ‘di namin na-execute ng plays, kulang sa composure,” Ferrer said. “Syempre na feed nila si June Mar talaga, kulang kami sa depensa.”
And that’s what the Gin Kings hope to improve on come Game Four where they seek to tie the best-of-seven series again.
[See Arwind Santos to rookie Ferrer: 'May napatunayan ka ba ba?']