Gin Kings brace for tough Game 6 battle with Tropang Giga

Game on Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7:30 p.m. – Ginebra vs TNT
(Ginebra leads series, 3-2)

LAST TWO TIMES they faced off — both for the PBA Governors’ Cup diadem — TNT finished off Barangay Ginebra in the sixth game.

Holding the 3-2 upper hand this time, the Gin Kings seek to deal the Tropang Giga the same fate in Wednesday’s Game 6 as they attempt to crown themselves Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup rulers.

Coach Tim Cone’s charges are hunting for their first hardware since beating Hong Kong’s Bay Area Dragons in the Season 47 Commissioner’s Cup championship capped by a record Game 7 crowd of 54,589 in January 2023.

“Me and my teammates are inspired and we want to give our all (to win) this championship. Whatever it takes,” said Ginebra star Scottie Thompson.

Such mantra is best manifested by import Justin Brownlee (JB), who has been bucking through a dislocated right thumb in leading Ginebra to back-to-back 95-78 and 73-66 victories that got them on the doorstep of glory.

JB is determined to bring this one home at the end of the 7:30 p.m. tiff at the Smart Araneta Coliseum before getting his battered finger fixed surgically.

“Our mentality is this is going to be the toughest we have to play all conference, maybe 10 times as tough as any game,” said Mr. Brownlee, who owns six PBA titles but has a 0-2 record when facing TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (RHJ) in the finale.

“The guys are ready to go. We’re confident. We’re up 3-2 but we’re a long way from being satisfied.”

The embattled Tropang Giga vowed to “fight like hell” to force a Game 7 sudden death on Friday.

“We just need to regroup. This is not over — they need four wins to win the championship,” said TNT mentor Chot Reyes, who requires his troops to sharpen up as they try to salvage this after blowing a 2-1 lead. “It’s a tough team that we’re playing. We can’t make the mistakes we’re making against the ‘national team.’ We’re playing Gilas (Pilipinas), the first five, so we have a very small room for error.”

RHJ can’t emphasize more the need to “lock in” for the game of their lives.

“We lose the next game, it’s over. So it’s all or nothing for us,” said the three-time Best Import. — Olmin Leyba