Cone says Ginebra can beat Magnolia 2 in a row

If there's anything that changed with Magnolia Ang Pambansang Manok's mind-set regarding its PBA Governors Cup semifinal duel with Barangay Ginebra, it's an additional sense of urgency.

More so now that momentum seems to have shifted to the side of the Kings, who would be eyeing to tie the best-of-five series Friday when the duel shifts to the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

"I've said before na we need to go through the eye of the needle para manalo against Ginebra and totoo pa rin iyon," said Hotshots coach Chito Victolero after his team's 103-107 loss last Wednesday that enabled the reigning back-to-back champion to narrow the series deficit to 1-2.

Victolero, who merited an automatic ejection for shoving the ball at a referee, still 5:08 left in the game, was quick to shrug off the defeat which prevented his team from advancing to the finals outright.

"Iyun ang pinag-uusapan talaga namin before the series, na this is not going to be an easy series," stressed Victolero.

"May chance kami kanina, pero siguro mas para sa Ginebra and also they deserved to win kasi nagtrabaho rin naman sila. Kaya kailangan mas doblehin pa namin ang effort."

The breakthrough win is enough for Ginebra coach Tim Cone to look forward to not only forging a deadlock but also a deciding game.

"We are happy to be alive and kicking," said Cone, "but that's not we are here for. If we are just going to win one game so we can take pride in that, that's pogi points.

"We are here to win the series. I just hope the guys understand that and don't rest on our laurels that they were able to pull out one game. We have to keep moving forward." —