Ginebra dumps San Miguel, sets up rematch vs TNT
ANTIPOLO CITY, Philippines — Forget about the sweep that got away. Barangay Ginebra got what it really wanted: A seat in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup semifinals against TNT.
Denied of the closeout twice, the Gin Kings made the most of their third chance and finished off San Miguel Beer in the deciding Game 5 of their quarterfinal duel, 110-94, last night at Ynares Center-Antipolo.
Eleven days after moving on the threshold at 2-nil with a 129-99 romp but losing the next two, 98-101 and 102-108, the troops of coach Tim Cone finally got the clinching third win.
But it took a lot of hard work to get it.
SMB led by as many as 13, threatening to break away to the clincher and pull off a best-of-five version of their famous 2015 “beeracle” comeback from the brink of elimination.
Always the NSD team, the Gin Kings fought back hard and, using a 34-14 closing barrage, pulled away to victory.
Their prize for this hard-earned 3-2 verdict?
The right to face the Tropang 5G in the race-to-three Final Four beginning Dec. 4 – with a chance for payback against the same bunch that beat them in the finals of the last two Governors’ Cups.
A semis stint also means Ginebra’s drive for a double championship in the season, following up their conquest in the preceding Commissioner’s Cup, is very much alive.
“For us, so much at stake in this game and it’s the perfect time to bounce back sa last two losses namin,” said Thompson.
Ginebra got big numbers from the usual suspects Jordan Murphy (31 points and 11 rebounds), Scottie Thompson (29 with eight rebounds and five steals) and RJ Abarrientos (19). But the contribution of Nards Pinto (nine points and several hustle plays) was also key.
Notes: PBA commissioner Willie Marcial summoned Converge forward Calvin Abueva to his office today to explain his actions after getting ejected in the FiberXers’ 120-109 Game 4 win over Rain or Shine last Tuesday… Marcial also reported the suspension for the rest of the playoffs of the referee who called a foul on Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson instead of the rightful travelling violation on San Miguel Beer’s George King in the last 20 seconds of Game 4.