by Jonas Terrado
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel has good reasons to feel confident of retaining its title in the PBA Governors’ Cup following the return of Greg Slaughter and Sol Mercado in Sunday’s Manila Clasico win over Magnolia.
Slaughter had 11 points and nine rebounds while Mercado scored seven of his nine points in the third quarter as the two played key roles in the team’s 93-86 triumph that gave the Kings a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
The 7-foot Slaughter missed six games because of a sprained ankle suffered in a game against NorthPort last September while Mercado also showed his Governors’ Cup debut against the Hotshots because of a torn meniscus.
“It’s obviously perfect time to hit our stride as a team going to the playoffs so it was good for both me and Greg to have this time in,” Mercado said.
But Ginebra once again missed the services of veteran Joe Devance because of a stress fracture on his left foot.
Mercado, however, sees Devance having no trouble once he comes back for the crucial stretch of the tournament.
“If he comes back in, he doesn’t really need that timing back with the team because he’s been within the system so long,” Mercado said of Devance, who has been under coach Tim Cone even during their days with Alaska and the Purefoods franchise.
The Kings, carrying an 8-2 record, wrap up their elimination round campaign on Sunday against TNT KaTropa at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
A win would give them the top seed heading to the playoffs.
Cone, however, said the status of being No. 1 is no assurance that a championship is all but a mere formality.
“It’s just pogi points at this point,” said Cone, whose team could finish second in the standings if it loses to TNT.
