By Jonas Terrado
Game Today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7 p.m. – Magnolia vs Ginebra
Magnolia is determined not to give defending champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel a lifeline as it goes for a sweep of their best-of-five semifinal series in the PBA Governors’ Cup tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
After taking the first two games in stunning fashion, the Hotshots will look to produce their best performance yet against the crowd-favorite Kings and secure a place in the finals for the second time in three conferences.
Coach Chito Victolero is bracing for Magnolia’s toughest test which is to finish off a Ginebra side that is no stranger to engineering comebacks.
“That’s the hardest part,” said Victolero when asked of a potential sweep in the 7 p.m. match. “I haven’t experienced that as a coach but our focus is to take it one game at a time.”
Victolero and the Hotshots are eager to avoid seeing history repeat itself after blowing a similar 2-0 lead against Ginebra in the 2017 Philippine Cup semifinals.
Ginebra won the next two, fell in Game 5 loss before taking another two victories to take the series.
“Alam naman natin pag ang Ginebra nakakuha ng bwelo yan, susunod na yan,” said Magnolia guard Mark Barroca. (We know Ginebra is capable of a relentless comeback.)
Ginebra coach Tim Cone, who was tossed for two technical fouls in the fourth quarter of Monday’s 101-97 loss, remains a firm believer that the Kings pull off another turnaround at the expense of their Manila Clasico foe.
“They’ve beaten us twice in a row, but there is no reason we can’t do the same and beat them twice,” Cone said.
The complexion of tonight’s affair will probably depend on how Magnolia import Romeo Travis performs.
Travis, aiming for a second finals appearance as PBA import, has been a menace for Ginebra, averaging 31.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in the series.
But one key factor for Magnolia’s success has been the relentless plays of its guards, namely Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Justin Melton and Jio Jalalon. The four have been able to successfully outworked their Ginebra counterparts on both ends.
It is one of the things Ginebra will try to neutralize this time as Cone will bank on import Justin Brownlee, Greg Slaughter, LA Tenorio and Scottie Thompson to display their best form to avoid an exit.
