‘King-sized’ defense mulled vs Durham

GINEBRA BRACES FOR MERALCO ‘REBOUND’

Game One: Meralco 114, Ginebra 109 (OT) Game Two: Ginebra 82, Meralco 79 Game tomorrow (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 7 p.m. – Ginebra vs Meralco

Barangay Ginebra could light up its campaign with unwavering defense against import Allen Durham while the Meralco Bolts could thunder back in the fight with crucial offensive rebounds.

The Gin Kings proved it Sunday before over 14,000 fans as they put the cuff on Durham through Sol Mercado, who also made the go-ahead basket to level the series at one-all with an 82-79 victory in the PBA Governors Cup best-of-seven title playoff at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The two teams returned to the drawing boards as the Gin Kings got back at the Bolts in Game Two, two nights after Durham exploded for 46 points to lead Meralco to a 114-109 win in overtime in the series opener.

Ginebra held Durham to 22 points on 10-of-24 shooting Sunday with Mercado as the main defender and either Justin Brownlee and Japeth Aguilar providing a second line of defense.

With Durham somehow neutralized, the Kings led by as many as 15 points in the third before weathering a Meralco rally in the payoff period.

“Sol certainly has got his disadvantage defending Allen Durham. (Meralco coach) Norman (Black) will surely adjust, and we have to find other ways to defend Allen,” said Cone.

The Ginebra mentor said playing tough defense is the best way to contain Durham and the rest of the Bolts.

“We had a tough shooting night and it just seemed like the shots that we normally make just didn’t go in, a lot of in-and-out especially around the basket. But we said at halftime even though we weren’t playing well offensively, we felt if we could hang on defensively we could win in the end,” said Cone.

“Your defense is your constant. We changed the match-ups and let Sol have Durham and he did a great job just trying to limit his touches,” Cone added.

“When Allen got by Sol, which was not very often, either Japeth and Justin was there to help,” Cone also said.

Curiously, Mercado preserved his sterling defensive effort with a big offensive rebound that led to a key put-back in the closing seconds.

Black said they paid the price in yielding crucial offensive rebounds to the Kings.

“I told my players it’s difficult to win a game like this if you don’t rebound the basketball, and we’ve got beaten on the boards badly in the first half,” said Black. “We actually lost the game on an offensive rebound by Sol Mercado.”

The two teams were tied on defensive rebounds at 34, but the Kings beat the Bolts on the offensive board, 15-11.

Black said they would also focus on getting the rebounds for the rest of the series.

“That’s the number one thing we have to address in practice,” said Black.