Ginebra, Meralco chase much-needed win as PBA goes to Iloilo

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Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone didn’t stay long in their dugout after their loss to San Miguel Beer in their first game after the holiday break last Sunday.

He seemed to just get his things and leave hastily.

For his players, the message was loud and clear. They have to play with a deep sense of urgency from now on in the PBA Philippine Cup, starting in their Petron Blaze road matchup versus the Meralco Bolts at 5 p.m. Saturday at the San Agustin Gym in Iloilo City.

Unable to end their win-loss-win-loss ride, the Kings stay on the fringes of the Top Eight with a 3-4 win-loss card.

The Bolts, however, are on a more delicate situation at 2-6.

“We have to keep on working. That’s all we can do,” said Meralco coach Norman Black, with his team struggling badly in the all-Filipino tourney as they did last season before making impact with prized
reinforcements in the import-laden tourneys.

“To be fair with everybody, we had good imports (in the Commissioner’s Cup and in the Governors Cup). Then we’re also missing now Jimmy (Alapag) and JD (Jared Dillinger). For the time being, we have to hang in there,” Black pointed out.

The Kings also have to hang in there.

A solace for the Kings in their 70-72 loss to the Beermen was how they neutralized June Mar Fajardo and how they limited SMB to 30 points below their norm.

“Yes, we’re disappointed with the loss, but at least there’s a bright side to it. We had a tremendous defensive effort. There’s no June Mar Fajardo in our last four games. If we’ll be able to sustain the same
effort in our remaining games, we may get good results,” said Ginebra chief playmaker LA Tenorio.

The Kings are now hard pressed to do good in their last four games against Meralco, Blackwater, Phoenix Petroleum and NLEX to get a shot at the post-elims play.

First, Tenorio said they have to figure out to be steady and consistent.

Tenorio and his teammates have been on a roller-coaster ride, yet to pull off successive victories since their Governors Cup title run with import Justin Brownlee.

“We’re struggling offensively. Bottom line is we have to make our shots and keep our defensive mindset every game,” said Tenorio, himself struggling badly as of late.

On Sunday, the 5-foot-10 guard converted just three of 12 field-goal attempts and one of two foul shots. He missed an eight-footer in the closing seconds allowing San Miguel to escape with the two-point win.

“We should be disappointed, but we also have to look at the bigger picture. If we can stop June Mar… again, there’s no more June Mar in our next game,” Tenorio insisted.

With an efficient double-teaming defense, the Kings held Fajardo (with just nine points) to his lowest output in the season.

The Kings dragged the Beermen into a tough defensive battle, and the game came down as the lowest-scoring contest since Kia topped Barako Bull, 71-68, on June 10, 2015.

Before that game, the Beermen averaged 101.3 points an outing, and 108.3 in their last three games.

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