Suddenly, Ginebra commands— and how

WE had a suspenseful series—finally. That was on Sunday, when Barangay Ginebra eked out its patented come-from-behind win (87-83) over San Miguel Beer at the Smart Araneta Coliseum peopled mostly, a s usual, b y shrieking Ginebra fans. The victory, coming on a blazing 9-0 Ginebra finish after being down 78-83 in the waning minutes of a suddenly touch-and-go affair, snapped a four-game streak of wrinkled results punctuated by routs averaging 25point winning margins.

And it had come at a most opportune time, when capturing a Game Five was perennally pivotal especially since both went to battle tied at 2-2.

Thus, after grabbing a 3-2 edge from the so-called jaws of defeat, Ginebra won the luxury of owning two tries to capture the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

It begins on Wednesday, when the Gin Kins go into a Game Six expected to be fraught with drama and rich in history as well.

The Beermen, despite being the favorites due to their enviable record of almost stashing away a crown in nearly every Finals they had barged into the past seven years or so, will be tested to the hilt this time—their ego deflated, their pride pricked.

And, in trying to go for the kill, Ginebra coach Tim Cone will never be pressured if we go by his collection of PBA titles: 20 all-time best compiled through nearly 30 years of coaching.

Thus, a Wednesday win for Cone to make it 21 conferences won will just be gravy, especially if we also consider his haul of two Grand Slams—one each for Alaska and San Miguel Corporation’s San Mig Coffee pocketed in two different decades.

Now, what went wrong with San Miguel Beer after having a vise-like grip, seemingly, of the contest going into the homestretch of Sunday’s Game Four?

Nothing, really, except that the Gins finished stronger than the Beermen in the crucial race to the last buzzer.

Ginebra was a bit luckier, too, when officiating sputtered and the referees did not call fouls committed by Gins Greg Slaughter and Justin Brownlee against June Mar Fajardo with critical seconds remaining—and the game itself was on the line.

Almost always, breaks make losers unlikely winners.