Games today:
(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
5 p.m. — Meralco vs Ginebra
7:30 p.m. — San Miguel vs Converge
Justin Brownlee and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel go for the jugular to finish off Meralco in Game 3 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup quarterfinals Monday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Action fires off at 5 p.m. with the Gin Kings looking to complete a sweep of the best-of-five series to advance to the semifinals.
The resident import once again came to Ginebra’s rescue, nailing the game-winning triple over the outstretched arm of Allen Durham with 10.9 seconds left in a 104-103 Game 2 escape that pushed the team to the hilt.
Now, the Gin Kings will try to finish the job in the first of three cracks at securing a spot into the next round.
“It would be great if we could sweep them. Coming into this series, we definitely didn’t expect it. They are a tough team. They are a good team. We know they’re gonna bounce back,” Brownlee said.
Brownlee remains a nightmare for the Bolts, who lost to the same reinforcement in three Governors’ Cup finals meetings before. He scored 39 points in Game 2 and was responsible for the last two plays that led to the go-ahead trey.
The naturalized Gilas Pilipinas star blocked and got the ball from Durham with Meralco up by a solitary point before running down the court to unleash a cold-blooded dagger.
“They (tried to) bounce back hard tonight and the next game they’re gonna bounce back even harder. We’re definitely expecting that,” Brownlee said.
“Coach (Tim Cone) always tells us, the only thing we can expect is a one-point win. That’s what we get tonight. Hopefully, we can continue working hard for that one-point win and get it to close out the series.”
Cone, however, downplays Ginebra’s huge series advantage.
After all, the Bolts did upset the Gin Kings in the semifinals of the Philippine Cup when it came back from a 2-3 series deficit on their way to claiming the franchise’s first-ever crown.
“We’re just fortunate we’re up 2-0. (But) we haven’t done anything yet. It’s a cliché but it’s true. We haven’t done anything yet. We found a way to win tonight (Game 2). We have to find a way to win the series,” the league’s winningest mentor said.
The Gin Kings took the series opener, 99-92.
Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer is also on the threshold of entering the Final Four after leading its series against Converge, 2-0.
The Beermen brace for the FiberXers’ desperate charge to try to extend their quarters showdown at 7:30 p.m.
“I’m sure they’ll gonna come out strong going to Monday’s game,” San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent said after his team took Game 2, 107-100, last Saturday.
Gallent wants his star-studded squad led by young reinforcement EJ Anosike, June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez to play with their strengths and stick to the system to rid of Converge.
“We just have to stay focused bring our energy and not think of that 2-0 lead. We have to think of it as a do-or-die match so we don’t relax. We have to come out strong and play hard for 48 minutes,” he said.
Anosike, who dropped 41 big points last game, is now playing more comfortably for the Beermen since replacing injured Jordan Adams.