(PBA images)
Barangay Ginebra is finally catching the rhythm it spent weeks searching for, and coach Tim Cone hopes the momentum carries over when the Gin Kings chase a third straight win against the skidding Terrafirma Dyip on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Fresh off a 103-85 dismantling of Blackwater, Ginebra is poised to climb above .500 for the first time this Philippine Cup. A victory would push the Kings to 5-4 and bring them significantly closer to locking in a playoff berth, especially with three games left on their eliminations slate.
Terrafirma, now out of quarterfinal contention with a 1-8 card and losers of seven straight, enters as the clear underdog. But Cone is keeping expectations in check, noting that his squad is still ironing out rough edges despite back-to-back convincing wins.
“We needed a really good performance tonight,” Cone said after the Blackwater game, where Ginebra led by as many as 27. “We’re in the middle of the standings, and while I wouldn’t say we’re groping for form, we’re still searching for ourselves a little bit at this point.”
The Kings are treating each outing like a do-or-die affair, especially with a tough stretch ahead that includes a trip to Bahrain and a crucial clash with Rain or Shine.
“These games are all really crucial for us—number one, just to get into the playoffs,” Cone emphasized. “We want to win as many games as we can and look up at the end of the eliminations and see where we are.”
As for their slim chances of squeezing into the Top Four?
“Maybe we’d get lucky and get to that top four, but we have to get lucky,” Cone admitted. “A lot of things will have to break our way. But the bottom line is, we’ve got to continue to win games. Every game for us is a playoff game.”
With Ginebra heating up at the right time, luck may not be the only thing working in their favor.