Hot-shooting Gin Kings wary of Tropang Giga fightback in Game 2
Game Wednesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5:45 p.m. – TNT vs Ginebra
*Ginebra leads series, 1-0
MANILA, Philippines – Ranged against a powerful and hungry challenger whose offensive might can’t be stifled for long, Barangay Ginebra isn’t resting easy despite getting the jump on TNT in the PBA Governors’ Cup finals.
The Gin Kings may be on a high from their masterful 102-90 win in the Easter Sunday series kickoff but they won’t allow themselves to fall into complacency as they gun for a 2-0 lead Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Kahit paano may konting lead kami sa kanila but hindi pa rin ito assurance na maipapanalo namin ang series,” Ginebra star Scottie Thompson, who dished out a triple-double performance in the opening triumph, said ahead of the 5:45 p.m. second match.
Powered by Justin Brownlee’s long bombs, the Gin Kings used a weapon that’s supposed to be the Tropang Giga’s forte — 3-point shooting — to seize control of the opening encounter. Tim Cone’s charges made 15 out of their 36 attempts from beyond the arc as opposed to the woeful 9-of-35 clip of Jojo Lastimosa’s uncharacteristically off-target troops.
“They’ll figure it out,” said Lastimosa, confident shooters like RR Pogoy, who netted only six while taking defensive duties against Brownlee, will regain their touch.
“Roger and even Jayson (Castro), they know what needs to be done and I’m hoping they can pick it up offensively in the next game so it will be a better game for us,” he added.
Cone is bracing for a revenge outing from the TNT pistol men.
“They didn’t have a great shooting night in Game 1. But you know, they’re going to have two or three games where they’re going to shoot the lights out and there’s probably nothing we can do about it. That didn’t happen (last Sunday) so we’re able to control the game a little bit,” he said.
TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who posted a 30-20 output, also noted the 60-51 rebounding deficit that hurt the team's cause.
“We got to rebound better. I feel like we control that, it will help us push the pace. I’d say we do better rebounding and play better individual defense (to get back in Game 2),” said the former NBA player.
Pogoy likewise pointed out how TNT can’t let Ginebra get off to a rousing start like last time.
“Maganda start nila, naka-momentum agad sila,” said the Cebuano sniper, whose team trailed Ginebra by as many as nine in the opening period and tried in vain to mount an uprising the rest of Game 1.
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