Will Never Say Die occur twice in one conference?
Second-year Ginebra guard Scottie Thompson hopes so.
During the quarterfinals of the 2016-17 Philippine Cup, Barangay Ginebra disarmed an Alaska Aces squad that was loaded with a twice-to-beat incentive — becoming just the 12th team in league history to eliminate a seeded team in that stage of the tournament.
Virtually, Ginebra is in the same predicament against the Star Hotshots as only one team in league history has overcome a 0-3 series deficit. And the product of University of Perpetual Help System DALTA knows they have what it takes to accomplish a comeback once more as the first two games were only decided by a total margin of just six points.
“Oo mabigat pero kailangan makalimutan namin ito. Next game, bounce back mentality kami kasi kaya pa yan. 2-0 pa lang naman,” the 23-year-old said.
“Kung nagawa namin sa Alaska yun, sana kaya naming maulit against Star.”
Thompson himself bounced back from a seven-point, 10-rebound Game One, finishing Game Two with with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. But his veteran LA Tenorio has struggled during that span, shooting a combined 6-of-21 from the field as Star’s plethora of guards locked down on Ginebra’s leader.
Still, the native of Padada, Davao del Sur believes that the 11-year veteran will overcome the funk that he is in the same way he himself did in Game Two.
“Oo, kasi talagang pinaghahandaan nila si LA defensively so talagang sobrang nag-struggle siya,” Ginebra’s leading rebounded shared.
“But feeling ko makakabalik siya as the series goes on.”
And come Game Three, it’s do-or-die time once again for the Barangay.
