LA Tenorio was in unison with coach Tim Cone with regards to how Ginebra played against Meralco in Game One of the 2021-22 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
“He’s very disappointed. Sabi niya hindi ito ‘yung kilala niya na team na naglaro in the past playoff games,” he said moments after the Gin Kings’ 91-104 loss, Wednesday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“And I have to agree with him.”
Well, the Barangay showed why it is the conference’s reigning champions in the playoffs. First they blew past the twice-to-beat advantage of rivals TNT in the quarterfinals. Then they finished NLEX in four games in the semis.
In fact, they even had the luxury of a longer recovery than the Bolts, wrapping up their best-of-five series against the Road Warriors earlier.
But then again, the Ginebra that played before a crowd of 12,457 was far from that team according to Tenorio, thus the disappointment on his part.
“Offensively, defensively, we’re out of whack.
“Kumbaga, hindi talaga ito yung Ginebra team na naglaro sa Talk N Text series and NLEX series. And playing against a very motivated Meralco, we cannot afford to do that,” he rued.
The decorated playmaker said that the Bolts simply showed how much they want to beat the Gin Kings this time after many heartbreaks in the past.
Match was tight in the first period until Allein Maliksi ignited Meralco’s second quarter surge, where he scored 15 of his 20 points. Tony Bishop took charge in the following period, and the rest of the pack helped out to get the W.
Ginebra even fell to a hole as deep as 21 points, 64-85, following a three-pointer from Bong Quinto still with 9:37 remaining in the game.
“They’re so motivated, they really want to win this series. Not only this game,” said Tenorio, who only finished with five points.
“This game is a testament na nakita natin ‘yung Meralco na gustong-gusto nila kaming talunin.”
Still, the 37-year-old is optimistic since it’s only Game One. He noted, however, the need to match their foes’ aggression if they are to beat them.
“Kaya naman seven-game series, ‘di ba? ‘Yun ang good thing about this Finals,” Tenorio said. “And I know how to beat Meralco. Kung alam nila, very aggressive sila, very motivated sila, alam din naman namin kung pano sila talunin.
“We just have to find ways how to beat them,” he added. “And again, at the end of the day, we really have to match their intensity, their aggressiveness.
“(This game) will dictate who wants it more this series. Definitely, they wanted it more. So kailangan pantayan namin ‘yon, ‘yung mindset na ‘yon, na we want this also, that this is a different championship game.”
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