A WEEKLONG break should get the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings back on their feet, ready for the Game 1 of the 49th Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup Finals.
Gin Kings’ coach Tim Cone said his squad got physically challenged in their best-of-seven semifinals affair with the San Miguel Beermen.
“We just didn’t have anything left. Really worried that we weren’t gonna be able to pull that one out and then we had to go to a Game 7. Really thankful we’re not going to a Game 7,” said Cone after they fought off the Beermen, 102-99, on Sunday in Game 6 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Game 1 with the TNT Tropang Giga will commence at 7:30 p.m. this Sunday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
Maverick Ahanmisi struck with 25 points at the end of Game 6, with the Gin Kings finishing the series with a 4-2 lead.
His performance and first finals stint in eight years has excited Ahanmisi.
“It was a tough series, tough playoffs so far, but I’m glad we stepped together and grinded it out to make it here. But the job’s not done yet, we’ll see what we can do in the finals,” said Ahanmisi.
Ahanmisi was last in a PBA finals when he played for the champion Rain or Shine Elasto in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.
EJ Anosike, meanwhile, powered San Miguel Beer with a game-high 30 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in the loss. June Mar Fajardo had 22 points and 15 rebounds.
Coach Jorge Gallent and the Beermen will go for a short rest before they plunge into action in the East Asia Super League and face Taoyuan at the Philsports Arena on November 13.
For the Beermen, this will be the ninth time that they will miss the Governors’ Cup Finals since 2015.
