SAN JOSE, BATANGAS – The sportsman that he is, Scottie Thompson acknowledged the better team won on Friday night.
Thompson paid tribute to the Meralco Bolts after the Bolts eliminated Barangay Ginebra, 78-69, and clinched the remaining berth in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.
Meralco will meet the top-seeded and defending champion San Miguel Beer for the championship, with Game 1 slated on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
READ Meralco boots out Ginebra in Game 7, makes PBA Finals vs SMB
“They deserved na makarating sa finals,” said the former MVP of the Bolts, who won the best-of-seven series, 4-3, and will be in the all-Filipino Cup title series for the first time in franchise history.
“Para sa kanila talaga.”
Thompson spoke with an obvious disappointment in his voice as the Kings were favored to get past the Bolts, a team they had previously beaten in four finals meetings, going to the deciding Game 7 at the FPJ Arena.
But the Kings never recovered their bearings after Meralco surged ahead in the second quarter behind a big 19-3 run to take the lead at the break, 36-31.
Thompson likewise played his best game in the series as he scattered an all-around game of 20 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and four steals including a 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
He scored 16 of his points in the second half as he tried to lead the Kings back into the game, only to fall short in the end.
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