Blockbuster finals coming up

Meralco and import Allen Durham wouldn’t be denied a third chance to battle Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Governors Cup finals starting Jan. 7 with the possibility of the best-of-7 series resetting the pro league’s all-time attendance record.

In its 44-year history, the PBA has registered three attendance marks of at least 50,000, all at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan. The first was the 2014 season opening when 52,612 packed the stadium for Manny Pacquiao’s debut with Kia against Blackwater in the first game and Ginebra against TNT in the second. The second was in Game 6 of the 2017 Governors Cup finals with 53,642 jamming the Arena to witness Meralco’s 98-91 win over Ginebra. The third was in Game 7 of the same 2017 finals where Ginebra beat the Bolts, 101-96, before 54,086 fans. 

This season’s finals will set Games 6 and 7 at the Philippine Arena, if necessary. The opener will be at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Jan. 7 then Game 2 in Lucena on Jan. 10, Game 3 at Araneta on Jan. 12 and Game 4 on Jan. 15 at Araneta. If necessary, Game 5 will be at the MOA Arena on Jan. 17, Game 6 at the Philippine Arena on Jan. 19 and Game 7, also at the Philippine Arena on Jan. 22.

The first Governors Cup finals between the archrivals came in 2016 with Ginebra recovering from a 1-2 series deficit to win three in a row to clinch it in Game 6 as Justin Brownlee drained a triple at the buzzer to finish off Meralco, 91-88. The decider drew 22,528 at the Araneta.

This season, Meralco had to beat TNT twice in a row to survive the best-of- 5 semis and book its third Governors Cup finals encounter with Ginebra. Last Saturday, the Bolts took out TNT, 95-83, in Game 4 and forced a winner-take-all Game 5. The finisher was another Meralco defensive masterpiece as coach Norman Black engineered an 89-78 decision, holding TNT to less than 20 points in each of the last three quarters. In Meralco’s three semifinal wins, the Bolts held TNT to an average of 85 points and 34.8 percent field goal shooting.

To advance to the finals, Ginebra averaged 121.7 points in beating NorthPort thrice in the semis. Coming off the SEA Games where coach Tim Cone and four Ginebra players were involved, the team dropped the opener to NorthPort, 124-90. Then, Ginebra regrouped to win three straight as Cone sent NorthPort reeling behind a relentless attack that softened the Batang Pier with bigs before finishing coach Pido Jarencio’s undermanned Cinderella squad off with a small but quick lineup.

The finals matchups are made in heaven. It won’t be just a battle of wits between Cone and Black, both adjustment geniuses. It’ll also be a dogfight between Durham and Brownlee who are squaring off in their third finals. Other intriguing matchups are Baser Amer against L. A. Tenorio, Bong Quinto against Stanley Pringle, Chris Newsome against Scottie Thompson and Raymond Almazan against either Japeth Aguilar or Greg Slaughter. Rotations will be crucial as both teams boast of crack relievers like Jeff Chan, Joe De Vance, Art de la Cruz, Aljon Mariano, Jared Dillinger, Cliff Hodge, Allein Maliksi, Nards Pinto, Anjo Caram and Reynel Hugnatan. This could be the finals to break the PBA’s attendance record.