Ginebra is bracing for yet another slugfest versus TNT in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals later tonight at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Kings are keen on building a 2-0 lead to move halfway through the goal of copping the ultimate prize. However, Coach Tim Cone and the rest of his men are all aware of the tough task based on how the series opener went.
“I don’t know… Six more of these? I don’t know if I can make six more of these,” quipped the league’s winningest mentor after their 102-100 escape at the Big Dome. “They’re all gonna be like this. It’s gonna be a tough series.”
Game 1 saw the crowd darlings — fueled by the 11,000-plus fans that watched live — wax hot from deep early. The team hit nine three-pointers in the first half and eventually led by as much as 18 points in the third, only to fizzle out.
In fact, they even lost that lead altogether and found themselves staring at a 95-90 lead late in the game as the troika of Roger Pogoy, Calvin Oftana, and Jordan Heading powered the Tropang 5G’s furious fightback.
Thankfully for the Barangay, their newfound star duo came through, with RJ Abarrientos and Justin Brownlee joining hands for the great save.
The presumptive BPC nailed a pair of fours, and the Best Import favorite won it by hitting his signature fadeaway with six-tenths of a second left.
But Abarrientos felt far from satisfied despite pulling off the win, pointing out that they cannot afford to let their second-half meltdown happen again.
(C) PBA Images
“The third and fourth quarter… Sobrang not sustainable ‘yung ginawa namin,” the 26-year-old guard from Far Eastern University said. “‘Yung two na four-point shots ko, that’s not sustainable. We need to be better as a team, and be better as individual players.”
So, Game 2 — set for a 7:30 PM tipoff — will be all about making the necessary adjustments, most especially on the reigning champs’ part.
Aside from avoiding falling into a flat start, the Tropa will have to address Chris McCullough’s disappearance, which happened in Game 1.
The 2019 Commissioner’s Cup champion with San Miguel, fired 25 points as he co-led their third-quarter rally, but went scoreless in the fourth.
That left the locals taking over in the payoff period, with the seasoned Pogoy the most assertive of them all. He scored their final seven points, including the booming trifecta that tied the game at 100-all with 10.6 seconds left.
‘JB’ and Ginebra would have the last laugh, though, but the way they clawed back should give TNT enough confidence to bounce back later.
In fact, Coach Chot Reyes & Co. are the preferred side, according to the Casino Plus Sportsbook. They’re the favorites to win by -4.5 points, with the over/under in total points scored between the protagonists set at 192.0
Wagers can be placed here: https://www.casinoplus.com.ph/home/inGame?name=basketball&title=SportBet.
