FOR the second straight game, Ralph Cu played big minutes in the fourth quarter for Ginebra and just like in Game 5, the 6’4 forward answered coach Tim Cone’s call.
Cu finished with 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and a block while playing nearly the entire fourth quarter as Ginebra closed out Rain or Shine, 118-107, in Game 6 to advance to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
But unlike in Game 5 where Cu did most of his damage in the fourth through his shooting, the second-round pick of the 2023 PBA draft only drained a single three-pointer in the payoff period. Still, his decision-making, defense and overall physicality proved to be invaluable for Ginebra.
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“Ralph came out and hit some shots, but he was doing more than hitting shots. He was defending well. He was getting rebounds. He was making passes, he was taking care of the ball,” Cone said.
“He just earned those extra minutes tonight and he stayed on the floor through the whole fourth quarter. He earned his minutes tonight, without him doing.”
While Cu’s minutes have fluctuated during the elimination round – he’s seen a rise in minutes in the semifinals – often being the first or second man off the bench now for Tim Cone and he’s repaid his coach’s trust with steady play.
“Ganun parin stay ready parin kung anong minutes yung makuha ko, extended minutes ako today at yun nag step up lang ako and thankfully naka-contribute ako sa team namin,” Cu said.
The soft-spoken shooter said the secret to staying ready always starts with how they prepare – and that’s why he never had to adjust despite his up-and-down usage with Ginebra.
“Hindi lang naman sa'kin lang, lahat kami confident kami and hindi rin yun sa kung gaano kahaba ka pinasok e,” he said. “Confidence namin kinukuha namin sa practice so kahit five minutes, two minutes all out kaming lahat off the bench.”
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