By REYNALD MAGALLON
Scottie Thompson and his ability to complete triple-double feats in a game could be a good barometer of how well Ginebra plays according to Kings head coach Tim Cone.
Thompson actually did just that in the Kings’ masterful 102-90 Game 1 win over the TNT Tropang Giga, recording 10 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists – a testament to the crisp and sharp execution of the defending champions with four other players scoring in double figures.
The do-it-all guard orchestrated Ginebra’s assault complimenting the one-two punch of Justin Brownlee and Jamie Malonzo who both proved to be the biggest thorns to the side of TNT with 31 and 21 points respectively.
“I’d be curious to know what our record is when Scottie gets his triple doubles. I’d say we’re pretty close to 100% winning all the time when he gets his triple doubles,” wondered Cone.
“Might be one game or two that we lost but I can’t remember. But it seems like every time he gets a triple double it’s like a recipe for winning. That means the ball is moving, that means the team is hustling ‒ and that’s a good recipe for success,” he added.
Indeed, the performance of the reigning MVP could really become a good gauge of Ginebra’s chances of winning, especially that according to league chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, the Kings have a 6-2 record in the eight times Thompson recorded a triple-double in his career.
“Seems like a lot more than that. Oh well. You just ruined it. I had Scottie thinking he was the greatest of all time and now he’s just a simple guy with eight triple doubles,” Cone jested.
Thompson though as usual played down the feat, stressing that his focus in the series is to contain TNT’s top guards in Jayson Castro and Mikey Williams. He, however, admitted that achieving such will be a bonus for his hard work
“Honestly, unconscious ako talagang all out lang kami this Game 1. Talagang aggressive lahat ng pwedeng maibigay, extra possession sa team,” said Thompson,
“Nakafocus rin kami sa defense especially yung loaded guards nila, may Mikey Williams, may Jayson Castro, so kaming mga guards dun kami nakafocus, to defend their guards. Bonus na lang iyon (triple-double),” he added.
