Anticipate a well-recognized hard-fought encounter when Barangay Ginebra and Meralco collide within the quarterfinals. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ
Barangay Ginebra and Meralco have figured in thrilling encounters within the championship sequence and early playoff conferences up to now. So rely on the one which unfurls this week to be no completely different, in keeping with Justin Brownlee.
“All people is aware of now we have a historical past with Meralco,” the Gin Kings ace informed reporters with a smile following a 103-99 extra time loss to NLEX on Sunday evening.
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“They’ve gotten higher. They usually’re contemporary off a championship. We all know they’re going to be robust. And that’s nothing new about Meralco—they’re all the time robust on the defensive finish,” he added.
Barangay Ginebra has received six playoff conferences—together with 4 within the Finals—towards Meralco. The gang darlings have misplaced the final two, together with the latest Philippine Cup semifinal conflict that finally ended within the Bolts capturing their first-ever PBA crown.
The 2 golf equipment tangle in a best-of-five quarterfinals sequence starting this week, with Brownlee understanding all too properly that the Bolts intend to maintain the pattern going of their favor, particularly with the returning Allen Durham in tow.
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“With Durham as their import, we all know they’re gonna be prepared (for us),” he mentioned. “Hopefully we might get ourselves prepared for these guys. I do know coach Tim (Cone) has an important plan for us to prepare.”
“It’s going to be a enjoyable matchup. It’s going to be aggressive. I’m prepared for it, and I do know the fellows, the entire group, and the teaching employees might be prepared as properly,” he mentioned.
In a Monday sport, Converge held off Magnolia, 89-82, to forge a quarterfinal showdown with the dynastic San Miguel Beer. Magnolia will tackle a rejuvenated Rain or Shine crew desperate to lastly show that their time-built roster is able to successful a PBA title.
‘Older now’
The primary time Brownlee received a title with Barangay Ginebra was through the 2016 Governors’ Cup, the place he hit the buzzer-beating triple over Durham to place the sequence to mattress in six video games. The Gin Kings went on to win the following three title showdowns, with the pair of prolific imports final battling within the 2019 Governors’ Cup, simply months earlier than the pandemic struck.
“Allen … after all we’re older now,” he mentioned with a chuckle. “That’s going to be a giant distinction. However he’s been taking part in nice this convention. And clearly they’ve been having some success. They completed No. 2 (of their group), proper?”
“This Meralco group has modified lots, and this Ginebra group has modified lots. However the mentalities are going to be the identical. For us it’s going to be the NSD (never-say-die)-type of perspective, simply making an attempt to do every little thing we will to win the sport,” Brownlee added.
“I positively assume it’s going to be a defensive sequence. Which group can give you the higher defensive schemes, or whoever might play higher defensively, I feel, will come out on high of the sequence,” he added. “Hopefully, we will lock down on protection and be on level.” INQ
