MANILA — Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is set to make a return to the PBA Finals, with an opportunity to reclaim their former glory.
After a challenging Season 48, where Ginebra’s streak of winning at least one conference title since 2015 ended, the team now has a chance at redemption.
In their journey to the Finals, Ginebra avenged previous losses, eliminating the Meralco Bolts in the quarterfinals and ousting the formidable San Miguel Beermen in the semifinals of the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup.
They swept Meralco in three games and defeated San Miguel in six, overcoming their Season 48 eliminators.
Reflecting on their past struggles, Coach Tim Cone recalled their previous heartbreaks. “The last time we were in this semis, we led 3-2, then let Game 6 slip away and lost Game 7,” he shared, referencing their loss to the Bolts. “That was definitely on our minds coming into Game 6.”
This victory gave Ginebra much-needed time to recover from injuries and fatigue, with players like Joe Devance—who came out of retirement—suffering setbacks.
“We didn’t want to risk a Game 7 against a team like San Miguel,” Cone explained. “We put everything we had into this game.”
Now, Ginebra will face Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and TNT Tropang Giga, the team responsible for Justin Brownlee’s only loss in a PBA Finals and the only squad to defeat Ginebra in the Governors’ Cup since Cone’s arrival nearly a decade ago.
“TNT is a well-coached team under Coach Chot Reyes,” said Cone, noting the familiarity between them from their time together at Gilas Pilipinas.
“There won’t be many secrets, but Chot has turned TNT into a defensive powerhouse that fits Rondae’s style.”
TNT leads the league in several defensive categories, including lowest points allowed, steals, and blocks, which complements Hollis-Jefferson’s impressive stats of 28 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game.
On the other hand, Ginebra excels in offense, leading in field goal percentages and assists.
The Finals will be a battle of contrasting styles, with Ginebra’s high-powered offense clashing against TNT’s defensive strength. “That’s something we’ll have to tackle in the Finals,” Cone concluded.