Barangay Ginebra and Meralco’s Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup semifinals series is turning into a grind-it-out showdown with no team having a clear advantage over the other.

It’s a great spectacle for PBA fans making the best-of-seven battle unpredictable and exciting.

The Kings have a veteran and star-studded core but the Bolts are holding their own against the familiar playoffs rival behind their energy and tenacity.

They split the first two games of their eighth playoffs pairing in last eight seasons.

Ginebra took the series opener but had to stave off a late rally by Meralco, which equalized last Sunday but not after surviving a fourth-quarter scare from the Kings.

“This is why in a series like this we have so much respect for them. I’m sure they have the same respect for us,” Meralco coach Luigi Trillo said.

“It’s gut it out, it’s hard and I’m sure the fans enjoy that, and we enjoy it. We love that type of atmosphere.”

Ginebra is looking to advance to the all-Filipino conference finals for the first time since ruling the 2020 pandemic-delayed edition while Meralco seeks a first-ever crown.

The two teams have established quite a rivalry with the Kings winning their first six playoffs head-to-head, including the 2016 and 2017 Governors’ Cup championship series.

Meralco booted out Ginebra in the Philippine Cup quarterfinals last year.

This latest series as expected is turning out to be as exciting as their previous clashes.

“This is the PBA and we’re a competitive basketball league so no lead is really safe. You can’t let your guard down at any point during the game,” Bolts top guard Chris Newsome said.

“I think for us, we need to come out with more focus to maintain that lead and minimize our mistakes. Ginebra is really good at capitalizing whenever we make mistakes.”

The pivotal Game 3 is being played as of press time at the Dasmariñas Arena in Dasmariñas, Cavite.