DENIED in their first attempt to end a three-year PBA title drought, a defiant Tim Cone still believes Barangay Ginebra has what it takes to unseat defending champion TNT and regain the Commissioner’s Cup championship.
Cone remains very much convinced the Gin Kings would emerge victorious despite a 98-90 loss in Game 6 that sent the best-of-seven series into a deciding contest on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
READ Pogoy says job of trying to wear down Brownlee is a tiring one
“We’re gonna feel good about ourselves going into Game 7. We know we can take this and we’re gonna go for it,” he said in the aftermath of the deflating loss.
For that to happen, two major concerns on top of Cone’s list need to be addressed.
First, Best Player of the Conference RJ Abarrientos and former MVP Scottie Thompson need to end their shooting slump.
Abarrientos and Thompson combined for just nine points in Game 6, with the Ginebra sophomore guard just making 1-of-12 from the floor.
Thompson, playing with a hurting hamstring, averaged just 4.5 points in the last two games, and shot 1-of-10 from the field in the 100-95 overtime win in Game 5.
“Scottie and RJ were 2-for-18 from the field (Game 6), and you’re not gonna see that very often,” vowed Cone.
And second, the Gin Kings must contain TNT import Chris McCullough.
The 31-year-old former NBA player exploded for a PBA career-high 53 points in TNT's win in Game 6 while adding a career high-tying 22 rebounds.
“I’ll be the first to admit, (Chris) McCullough was awesome. We couldn’t control him all game long,” said Cone of the former San Miguel Beer import. “We challenged him from the outside, and he made big shots from the outside.
“The last two shots he made (Game 5), a three and a four, broke our backs.”
In the last two games, McCullough averaged 45.5 points and 19 rebounds.
Still, that doesn’t dent Cone’s belief Ginebra can go all the way.
And if the Kings do so, he hopes the narrative will turn for the better for the PBA’s most popular franchise.
“I just hope if we do (win), they won’t turn around and say it’s about the referees again,” said Cone.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
