LITO A. TACUJAN/ 22 Kings won’t step down, reach final
Editor •
Assistant Editor • MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013 • Game Wednesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 7:30 p.m. –
As one fan banner read: ÒWalang Liquor Ban sa Smart Araneta Coliseum (There’s No Liquor Ban at Smart Araneta Coliseum).”
On the eve of the national polls, fans celebrated Ginebra Day at the Big Dome, but they did not drink to that.
The amazing Barangay Ginebra team survived a fourth do-or -die game in the tourney, keeping the heat of an improbable Commissioner’s Cup playoff run to make a return stint in PBA Finals with a 111-103 conquest of Talk n Text before a screaming record crowd of over 21,000 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.
The Kings overpowered a badly crippled Talk n Text side in the deciding game of their best-of-five semis series, advancing to the best-of-seven finals versus the playoffs top seeds Alaska Milk Aces.
It’s the fourth Ginebra-Alaska finale, the first since the Commissioner’s Cup title playoff won by the Kings (then Gordon’s Gin Boars) in 1997. It was coach Robert Jaworski’s last championship.
Overhauled during the off-season and given a new head coach prior to the second conference, Ginebra is back in the finals after placing second to Talk n Text in the 2011 Commissioner’s Cup.
The Kings see action in their 20th titular series, going for a first crown in five years and ninth in all in franchise history.
“I’ll celebrate this win first before I start thinking about the finals. It just feels so sweet,” said Ginebra coach Alfrancis Chua.
“(Being) just the seventh seed in the playoffs, going up against Rain or Shine then Talk n Text, I didn’t expect we’ll make the championship. The semis alone already felt like championship for us,” Chua also said.
But the Kings rolled past the two champion teams Ð Governors Cup ruler Rain or Shine and Philippine Cup three-peat titlist Talk n Text Ð keeping alive their Cinderella run under Chua.
Chua denied Talk n Text coach Norman Black a 16th PBA finals and clinched his second after steering Tanduay to the all-Filipino finals in 1999.
Chua admitted they got a huge break with Talk n Text losing Ranidel de Ocampo to a calf injury.
“Everybody knows Ranidel is one of the best No. 4 guys in the league. They lost their pick and roll, and pick and pop (plays) on the ouster of Ranidel. Even then, they fought to the very end,” said Chua.
In this do-or-die setto, Talk n Text was already badly handicapped minus Kelly Williams, Jared Dillinger, Ranidel de Ocampo and Jimmy Alapag playing measly five minutes.
((( 4 56' 55' 1 5(' (7' 2! (*' 8' , 9 *' $ 5' - (' ! )%
()* 4 :5' $ (7' ; ((' 2 ()' < =' 6' < *' 5' $ 2 5' 2! (' ! )' 9 )' > )%
? @ 5A (6' 8( :(' A6 8=' ((( ()*