If Ginebra wants to equalize its PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series, it needs to solve the modern-day ‘Death Five’ of San Miguel.
Coach Tim Cone said that finding ways to neutralize their opponents is crucial after the Kings got beset by challenges brought about by the Beermen’s deep manpower.
And those challenges ultimately led to their loss in the best-of-5 opener, Wednesday night.
“We have to pay a little bit more attention to detail if we’re going to try to find a way to beat this team … They got a lot of different kinds of weapons,” he said moments after their 92-90 defeat at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“They got their own version of Death Five, except that Boatwright is playing Arwind Santos’ role. Good team,” he furthered.
Prior to their semis clash, Cone said that San Miguel has become even more difficult to cover with the arrival of Bennie Boatwright, who, right off the bat, showed impeccable shooting for a 6-foot-8 forward.
The champion mentor remembered Arwind Santos in the USC Trojan in terms of his role with the loaded crew, but with much more height and length.
“Bennie Boatwright is like Arwind Santos times two, or times five, or maybe times 10. That’s what made June Mar so great through those years, having Arwind Santos sitting there on the top, keeping the defense honest,” he said.
Plus, Boatwright hardly faced any issues playing alongside June Mar Fajardo. They complemented one another well, right when the seven-time MVP returned to the team last January 12 from a left metacarpal fracture.
In the semis opener, Boatwright and Fajardo were part of the closing five together with CJ Perez, Chris Ross, and Marcio Lassiter.
“It’s like Arwind and June Mar together in the Death Five, except Boatwright’s five inches taller and 30 pounds heavier and shoots the ball as well as Arwind did. Just makes our job even harder,” Cone said.
Ginebra, though, managed to ‘limit’ Boatwright in Game 1. After averaging 45.3 points on 59.7-percent shooting in the last three games, the 27-year-old was held to a conference-low 23 points on a 10-of-23 clip from the field.
However, the other Beermen inflicted damage, with Perez responsible for most of it. The 30-year-old led the way with 26 points, including nine in the fourth quarter that saw them erase a five-point deficit and build a 90-85 lead late.
“You put so much focus on June Mar, trying to defend June Mar, now we have to defend Boatwright. They have other guys who can step up. Tonight, it was CJ,” lamented Cone of Perez, who also had five rebounds and three assists.
Fajardo, of course, was pivotal for San Miguel once more with 18 points and nine rebounds. The star center was also responsible for breaking the 90-all deadlock through separate trips to the foul line in the final 23.7 seconds.
Four players finished in double figures in the win. Don Trollano added 10 points off the bench, indeed a welcome contribution for a team that missed Terrence Romeo due to a left ankle injury he suffered days before Game 1.
The former three-time scoring champion is listed as day-to-day.
If ever he comes back in Game 2 on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena, then that would be another problem for Cone and the reigning conference champions.
“Terrence didn’t play. I’m assuming he might come back on Friday, he might be the next guy to step up or Marcio, or Chris,” he said.
“They got a lot of weapons. Trollano. That’s the kind of choices you make.”
